Naruto: The New Frontier REBOOT
by An Xmen Member
Summary: A rebooted new story, revolving around Sasuke coming to terms with himself and the deaths of the people he once cared for, while assimilating into a world where heroes and villains are commonplace.
1. Awakening

[This is a complete reboot from the story I began writing more than a year ago, I decided to reboot it because I had lost my interest for the last one I was writing, I can be very fickle that way. I've been thinking about it for a good while about now, and I decided to give it another shot and try a different route, perhaps I'll feel better about it this time around.]

"I feel so sleepy, so tired, so fatigued. Where am I? My memories…I remember…blood…screaming…friends killing friends…why were they doing those awful things to one another? The teeth…the eyes…the blank soulless eyes, their laughs of delight as they ripped through the flesh of innocents…why am I still alive? Why am I not like them? Why am I not like Sakura and Naruto?"

A deep inhaling gasp for sweet air, Sasuke never quite appreciated the smaller things in life, such as the air that filled his lungs. He was in a bed, a bed that upon trying to sit up, Sasuke realized he was strapped to. His hair was very long going down his neck, itching Sasuke's skin, a stubble blanketing his face. Sasuke felt weak…very weak…and very hungry and thirsty. Sasuke tried once more to summon the strength to get up from the bed but the bindings holding him down and his exhaustion kept him stationary.

"Where am I?" Sasuke asked himself, he was still so woozy and dizzy, and the room was still spinning. Sasuke could barely summon the strength to speak in any level higher than a whisper, "Is…anyone there…where am I?"

Sasuke heard footsteps and ambient conversation growing closer to the room, Sasuke didn't know what to do, he tried once more to break free from his bonds but he had no physical strength and his chakra was almost nil. Sasuke could only wait and watch, as the door slid open.

2 nurses walked into the room holding clipboards, one of them, upon seeing Sasuke awake and looking right at her dropped her clipboard in surprise, "You're…you're awake…?" Sasuke tried to speak but unintelligible gibberish came from his mouth. The nurse rushed to his side and asked him, "Can you hear me? Can you speak?" Sasuke tried to focus on her but his wooziness was making it difficult, he motioned his finger to tell the nurse to come closer to him. The nurse bent over and gave Sasuke her ear, Sasuke whispered out, "Please…water…" The other nurse took the cue and rushed out and came back with water very quickly, they slowly poured it down Sasuke's throat, Sasuke felt great refreshment, and he'd never been quite so dehydrated. Sasuke was able to summon more strength to his voice and asked, "Where am I?" The nurse replied…"Uh…um…" The nurse then said, "I'll be back with someone that can talk to you, ok? I'll be back soon."

Sasuke tried to protest, he didn't want to be alone in this foreign place but he was intrigued that someone was now coming to see him. Sasuke counted the minutes passing by until finally someone was making noises outside the door. Sasuke looked over to the door and waited. The door opened and in walked a tall gentleman, wearing very nice clothes, a tidy hairstyle, trimmed facial hair. He walked over to Sasuke and looked down on him and asked him, "Do you know where you are? Do you know where you've been?" Sasuke tried to create an intelligible thought and replied, "No…I don't know anything…I feel so exhausted…how long have I been sleeping? Where are my people I was with…those things! Those monsters! What happened to them!" He let out a small smile and sat down next to him and asked him, "Young man, what is your name?" Sasuke was confused…starting to get very impatient…," My name is…Sasuke Uchiha." The man voiced his name first and then repeated it, "That's a very interesting name, we don't have vernacular like that in this world." Sasuke then replied, "In this world? What are you saying? Am I…Am I dead?" The man sat back in his chair and said, "No, you're very much alive." Sasuke quickly responded, "Then where am I?"

The man leaned forward and said, "Sasuke…Uchiha. You're not in the world you used to know anymore. Our universe is vast, wonderful, many worlds inhabit it and yours was just one, this…the one you're sitting in right now, is another one." Sasuke replied, "If that's true, what has happened to mine?" The man replied, "It has been…restricted. You can never go back. It's no longer safe…the zombies have taken it over, like many before it. It's become a casualty." Sasuke replied, "A casualty? My world is not a casualty! There are still people there! There has to be!" The man replied, "I'm sorry Sasuke, we have run very, very thorough tests on your world, there is nobody left. They're all gone. You are the only person of your world left alive."

Sasuke couldn't process this information, in his weakened state it was just…too much for him…he started heaving and soon vomited off the side of the bed. The same nurses then came back and quickly mopped it up and cleaned off Sasuke's face as the well dressed man just watched in the corner, with a very pensive look on his face. After a few more minutes they had finished and the nice dressed asked them politely to leave, he sat back down. "I'm sorry." Sasuke replied between heavy inhalations, "Don't be. You have no reason to." He replied, "I have to, I have seen this happen so many times before, the majority of them, NOBODY survives." Sasuke couldn't speak…after a few minutes he asked, "Why did you save me? Why didn't you just leave me to die?" The man replied, "It's just not in our nature to do something like that, we had to opportunity to rescue you, we have a lot to learn to you." Sasuke replied, "Like what?" The man replied, "Well, we have witness reports from our in-field agents that you destroyed a massive number of infected in your world at once, something about setting them on fire with a black fire, knowledge like that could become very helpful." Sasuke replied, "Sorry I can't help you, only I can use that power." The man replied, "Well isn't that a shame." Sasuke then said, "How long?" The man replied, "How long you've been sleeping?" Sasuke nodded affirmatively. The man replied, "A year, you've been comatose and under life care for a year."

Sasuke then said, "Can I leave?" The man replied, "I'm sorry, not yet. We're still running several tests on your physiology, it's something very interesting, your entire biology is interesting." Sasuke replied, "Who are you?" The man then said, "Well, I am the one that's behind the scenes on a lot of things that go on behind A.R.M.O.R." Sasuke replied, "What's that?" The man replied, "It's an organization that I possess a lot of sway with, of course nobody is aware of my status…in fact nobody knows that I'm here right now." Sasuke replied, "I'll ask you again, who are you?" The man replied, "I certainly hope we get to know each other, Sasuke. You're very special, and I think you'll fit in quite well here. I have some other appointments to maintain, so we'll call this a day for now, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you." The man turned and walked away towards the door, he stopped short of grabbing the door handle, he turned and said, "We'll get to know each other very well soon, I guess it'll help if you know my name. My name is Norman, Norman Osborne. Please call me Norman." Norman walked out of the hospital room and Sasuke heard a click, he figured it was a lock on the door. Sasuke laid his head back into the pillow and looked up the dimmed lights above him, "I hate this ceiling." Sasuke felt his eyes getting heavy and then blackness took him.


	2. Fitting In

"No matter how much I try to run the scenario through my head, the events all lead to one single event, one thing in my life that I never expected to happen. As I grew up with him we had such a childish rivalry against one another, always surpassing one another at every time. I never once thought that our relationship would end up in me taking his life. Me and Naruto, we always saw things differently, and years ago when he chased after me, trying to change me...trying to convince me that I was in the wrong with my beliefs. After the final time I spoke to Itachi I had to think about my life and where things were going, I came to the realization that living in such hate and anger and fear for so long wasn't going to benefit me. All the people I hurt in my own search for power, all for naught. I felt ashamed, what had I done with my life? I had spent it trying to prove something...a point that didn't need to exist. I was so foolish, I didn't know what I was doing...my older brother...Itachi...he set me straight. I'm so happy I remember his name still...his face, his smile, the way my brother played with me every day after classes. Those were the days I was happy. Now I don't know what's going on anymore...I wake up in a strange room...a strange world now...nothing to look at but an unfamiliar ceiling. What have I done...I killed Naruto...I killed him dead, now the only thing of his I have left is his headband..." Sasuke woke up from his bed with a start, realizing during his moments of self reflection he had lost Naruto's headband.

He pondered the importance of having it with him, but for some reason he felt he should make sure Naruto's last possession was safe. He pulled on the restraints of his bed, with the steady stream of food and natural rest without the aid of drugs keeping his asleep, his strength had returned to him relatively quickly. He focused easily pulled the belt, snapping it in half. He pulled the other belt holding down his other hand apart and circled his wrists around. He then sat up and reached forward, freeing his feet. He swung his feet over and stood up, only to drop to one knee. Sasuke took a breathe and thought to himself, "Shit...I've been in this bed for who knows how long...I need to get the feeling back in my legs." Sasuke pulled himself up using the counter next to the bed and re-familiarized his muscles, getting the feeling back in them quickly.

Sasuke then heard something walking down the hallway, he knew the familiar footsteps, it was the nurse coming to check on him. Sasuke took cover next to the door and saw that the door opened, the nurse walking in. She looked up and saw that Sasuke was out of bed, she turned around to Sasuke lightly tapping her forehead. She would've dropped to the ground if Sasuke didn't catch her, he picked her up and put her in a chair. He then turned around and looked outside the door, as he looked left and right all he saw was a dark empty hallway.

"Where is everyone, surely they didn't only have one person checking up on me..." Sasuke thought to himself. Sasuke had no idea where he was, or how to navigate these halls so he just walked left out the door. He came to 2 elevator doors at the end of the hall, between them said a sign that said "Classified Floor: Proper Identification Required" Sasuke thought to himself, "Interesting, does this mean I'm the only person on this floor of this building?" Sasuke did a quick spin around, looking at his surroundings, he said to himself, "Seems so..." Sasuke walked over to the elevator and pressed the big green button with an arrow on it. He heard a few ding sounds and then heard the elevator coming up to him. The car opened up and he stepped inside it. Sasuke looked over the panel, the elevators where he was from didn't go to quite so many floors. Sasuke cycled through the different buttons and pressed the button with a big red number "1" on it and the elevator doors closed.

The elevator beeped twice and lurched, then smoothly made it's way down. "I wonder what's going to be waiting for be once I get down to the bottom..." Sasuke waited in the elevator for what seemed like forever, until the elevator finally stopped moving and he heard a few beeps. Then the doors slid open. Sasuke walked out and saw people for the first time in...well what was forever to him. He saw nurses tending to their work, patients walking the halls, paying no attention to him. Sasuke then realized that nobody knows who he is in this...place...he still wasn't quite sure where he was. Sasuke saw a sign above a door that said "EXIT" and walked towards it, looking to find a way out of the building.

He walked into a very large concourse, tables, chairs, desks, and television screens adorned the whole room. He saw 2 very large glass doors at the head of the room, leading out into the open. Sasuke walked towards the doors and they opened for him. He stepped outside and saw giant concrete buildings shooting straight up into the sky, he saw cars populating the streets and throngs of people walking left and right on the sidewalks. "What is this place?" Sasuke said aloud.

"New York City." Someone said behind him, Sasuke turned around to man standing before him. It was not the person that introduced himself as Norman Osborne before, but someone else. He was a little shorter, hair combed tidily to the side, a nice smile, and very well dressed. He walked up to Sasuke and said, "You are in New York." Sasuke replied, "I've never heard of such a place? Where's Konoha? What happened to everyone?" The man smiled again and put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "I'm sorry young man, they didn't make it." Sasuke stepped back, "What do you mean? I'm the only that made it?...I had my suspicions but I hoped..." The man interrupted his thought and said, "Look, I'm very sorry for what happened, but you were able to be rescued and brought here, to a different dimension." Sasuke looked up at him with a confused look on his face, "Different dimension? What are you talking about?" The man straightened his jacket and said, "Please follow me, let's go someplace that will be a little easier to talk."

Sasuke followed the man down the street, the man stopped and said, "This is a small children's park, sit with me a spell on this bench." The man sat down and Sasuke down on the far end of the bench. Sasuke then said, "Ok, explain." The man nodded and said, "Well, according to our informants, who are very...informed on the matter, there are an infinite amount of dimensions, yours was just one of them. Some of them have different problems, and some of those problems bleed to other dimensions like what happened to yours." Sasuke replied, "So you're telling me that...those things...or whatever turned my friends into what those things were...was from another dimension?" The man nodded affirmatively and said, "That's exactly what I'm saying." Sasuke then replied, "Why..." The man looked puzzled. Sasuke looked down at the ground, "Why was I rescued? Why shouldn't I have been left to die?" The man replied, "Well that's a good question, but I'm not in charge of that sort of thing." Sasuke replied without looking up, "Who would be? Would it be that Norman Osborne man?" The man replied, "Me and Mr. Osborne are...perspective business parters, but we're not in charge nor legally involved in the whole multidimensional policing...in fact, I guess you could describe us as flies on the wall." Sasuke replied, "I'm not clear on who you people are...what's...going on here?" The man smiled again and said, "We're flies on the wall, remember that." Sasuke was still confused, "What's going to happen to me now?" The man replied, "Well I figure there'll be a bit of confusion considering you broke out of the hospital. I'm not any kind of law enforcement, In fact I don't like law enforcement very much."

Sasuke then said, "So what are you going to do with me?" The man replied, "Me? I'm doing nothing, just going to wait and see how things turn out." Sasuke stood up from the bench, "Now what the hell does that mean?" The man replied, "It means that I want to see how you get used to this world, and how you adapt. I think you'll be fine, you survived...well...you survived. Not too many people can say that." Sasuke didn't know what to say, he looked at his surroundings, children playing on the giant playground equipment, cars driving by, people walking on the sidewalks, "What...do I do?" The man replied, "Just be you I suppose. I really don't care how you decide to live from this point on..." Sasuke turned from him and said, "I see. Ok then." The man walked up to his side and said, "I never caught your name..." Sasuke looked at him and said, "Sasuke...Uchiha." The man replied, "That's very interesting name, never heard one quite like it actually. I suppose I should introduce myself as well, my name is Martin...Martin Li." Sasuke replied, "How will I get in contact with you?" Martin replied, "Don't worry, we'll be in touch with you."

Martin walked away from him, Sasuke saw that there was a sleek black vehicle waiting for him on the sidewalk. Martin Li got into the vehicle and it drove off. Martin sat back into his seat and a voice from the opposite seat called to him, "So Marty-" He was cut off by a much more serious toned Martin Li...he was almost a different person entirely, "I told you, I hate being called that." The voice replied, "Ah, in that case I apologize. It's just easier for me to talk to when I give someone a nick name." Martin relaxed back into his previous personality and said, "What do you want, Hood?"

The man replied, "You know, after my gang went under after that Skrull Invasion and that...stupid siege of Asgard Osborne had us participate, I went back to my roots, and those were dealing in information. Word around town is you and Norman Osborne are hanging around government buildings, places you're obviously not supposed to be in. Now the big question is, why is that?" Martin replied, "Prospective business partners." Hood replied, "Interestingly enough, I can't figure out who it is that you're looking for as a business partner, I mean if you're in bed with Norman Osborne, that's all the business partner you need..." Martin replied, "It's an...interesting prospective business partner, ok?" Hood replied, "By any chance, would it have been that young man in the park wearing hospital scrubs? Shouldn't be...y'know...**IN **the hospital?" Martin replied, "I'm not too sure how he escaped. It's all very interesting to be honest. Especially him." Hood replied, "Ah I see, well I wanted to let you know, that what you find interesting, we find interesting. I don't have much of a gang of merry men these days but we're keeping an eye on you, and now we're going to be keeping on eye on your new friend." Martin sat back in his chair and started to shake with what seemed to be anger, his skin cracked like ceramic and peeled away revealing black flesh underneath, "I should've killed you a long time ago." Hood replied, "Well, Mr. Negative we all don't get what we want." Mr. Negative lunged across the space between at Hood but he vanished into the darkness before Negative land a finger on him. Mr. Negative sat back into his seat, looking out the window and thought to himself, "Things are about to change...and in a big way."

Sasuke looked the ground between his legs, "What's out there for me now?" he asked himself. He got up and made his way on the sidewalk, walking blindly. Sasuke felt lost, not knowing what to do with himself now, "Surviving that...those things...having to fight and kill people I once called friends...just to survive and come to a different world...what's there for me now, why wasn't I just left to die?" Sasuke was so lost in thought he didn't see where he was walking and bumped into someone in front of him who'd stopped short. "Oh, excuse me."

Sasuke looked past the man in front of him and saw a small corner store with an alarm blaring, "That place is being robbed." Sasuke thought. Back in Konoha, there wasn't much petty crimes, values of every working together and friendship seemed to remedy the problems like petty crimes. "I keep finding more and more things different in this world. Oh well it's not my problem." Sasuke turned away and took a step before hearing gunshots, "What was that!" He could hear screaming, "They...they shot the people in there!" Sasuke thought. Police vehicles parked in front of store waited outside of the store, their weapons aimed at the front door. Sasuke knew there was no way they were coming out through the front door if their intention is to escape. Sasuke dodged around the crowd and went down an alley going behind the store. He jumped high into the air and stuck to the wall using his chakra. He heard more shooting, he hated not being there to help but he knew they would have to try to come out the back and they did.

2 men dressed in black holding a bag of money bursted out from the back door and took off running. A police officer cut them off and ordered them to halt, the 2 criminals shot him down and kept running. Sasuke jumped over a rail and followed them rooftop to rooftop, Sasuke had followed them all the way to their getaway car before jumping down to confront them, he landed on a dumpster and looked up to see them halted, aiming their weapons at a young lady wearing, to Sasuke, a very strange outfit, black, blue and yellow with a big red "X" on her belt.

Sasuke flipped back behind the dumpster and hid, looking intently at what was going on. He could hear one of the criminals saying, "Shit look, it's Shadowcat." The other criminal replied, "So what? It's her alone, it's not like it's Wolverine or Cyclops, just a little girl!" The girl known as Shadowcat replied back, "Excuse me! I am not a little girl, Wolverine and Cyclops don't need to be here for me to take care of trash like you. You shot those people in that store, you might've killed them!" The first criminal replied, "So what? Accidents happen." He raised his gun at her, Sasuke motioned to take action but was too late, he started shooting at her. Sasuke thought to himself, "Oh no! I'm too late...huh!"

Sasuke saw that the bullets were going right through her, not harming her at all, in fact the criminal was shooting up the car behind her. The criminal tried to reload his weapon but that short time was all the girl needed to approach and throw him to the ground, kicking him in the back of the head. She easily dispatched the other with a left hook square in the face, "Whoever this girl is, she knows how to handle herself, those guys were twice her weight and she took them down." The girl pried the bag of loot that they stole and opened it, she started screaming, "You worthless...! You shot those people for $600?" The girl kicked the criminal in the side so hard he flipped over on top of the other one. She took an exasperated breathe and calmed down. She reached in her pocket, not realizing that a 3rd gunman had emerged from the getaway vehicle. He had snuck up on her and had his gun aimed right at her head, Shadowcat heard the click of the gun and realized it was too late for her, she then heard a loud thud sound and something crashing to the ground.

She turned around and saw Sasuke holding the gun, with the gunman slammed to the ground not moving. She stepped back and said, "What the hell...who are you?" Sasuke dropped the gun down to the floor and pulled the criminal over to where the other 2 were. Sasuke didn't know whether it was a good idea to say anything so he just turned and motioned to walk away. The girl walked behind him and grabbed his arm, "Hey, who are you?" Sasuke took a breath and said, "I'm just some guy, it doesn't matter who I am." She replied, "Yeah, it does matter. Nobody just shows up like that and helps a stranger like that." Sasuke replied, "You just needed a hand, if you saw that guy behind you, you wouldn't have needed my help in the first place."

Sasuke pulled his arm away from her but she persisted in learning about him, she used her powers to phase right through him and stop him. "Look pal, I have questions and I wouldn't mind if you answered them." Sasuke stepped back in surprise, "You...walked right through me..." She replied, "Yeah, don't you know who I am? Me and my group are kinda famous." Sasuke replied, "I'm not exactly from the area." She replied, "Well since you're not from here, let me formally introduce myself," She held out her hand, "My name is Kitty Pryde." Sasuke stared at her outstretched hand for a moment before taking it in his, "My name is...Sasuke Uchiha." She looked at him puzzled for a moment and said, "That's an odd name, you don't hear a name like that around here." Sasuke took his hand back and said, "I told you I'm not from here." Kitty folded her arms and asked, "So are you a mutant or what? No way a normal person could've moved that fast, you stopped that guy before a bullet left the chamber." Sasuke replied, "Or what, I guess. I don't know what a 'mutant' is." Kitty had a visible expression of surprise on her face, "How do you not know what a mutant is?" Sasuke replied, "Again, I'm not...from...'here'." Kitty then said, "So...where are you from?"

Sasuke inhaled and said, "I guess you could say I'm not from this world." Kitty replied, "I know a thing or 2 about meeting people from other worlds." Sasuke then said, "Is that so?" Sasuke turned around and started walking away in the opposite direction. Kitty ran in front of him again, "Look pal, what is it with you?" Sasuke replied, "Look...Kitty was it? I'm not in the habit of making friends. Especially now that...uh..." Kitty looked at him puzzled, "Now that what?" Sasuke replied, "Nothing, don't worry about it. It's personal matters." Kitty replied, "You aren't very good at making friends are you?" Sasuke replied, "What gave you that idea?" Kitty then said, "Look uh...Sasuke...do you have a place to stay? We have a place where people with abilities like you can stay."

Sasuke thought it over in his head for a moment, "And what would I have to give you? I have no money." Kitty walked over to him and said, "Don't worry about it, it's no problem, we have plenty of room." Sasuke replied, "Whoa look, I'm not so sure that's a good idea." Kitty replied, "Now why would you say that?" Sasuke stumbled over his words for a moment before saying, "It's just...i'm not sure I'll exactly...fit in." Kitty led him out into the sidewalk as police poured in, "Don't worry, I know something about not fitting in."


	3. Learning Secret

"_I can't help but reflect on how things have turned out so far in my life. I guess the events up to now have led to this singular moment, in my loneliness I had time to think about how things have turned out. I never once thought I would be last person alive that knew of my culture, I wonder if there's anyone that knows that kind of loneliness. I grew up in the village of Konoha, I learned at a young age the evil that men do. The night my family died...it crafted me...changed me. I couldn't expect others to relate to my hatred of Itachi. He took everything from me, It wasn't until I was in my teens that I learned the truth. He sacrificed everything for...me. He was told by the government of Konoha to kill our entire family for the sake of the village, but he just couldn't kill me. I became hateful of the village, not realizing that the path I was on led me closer to my own destruction. Closer into my adult years I learned that this was not the way, but there was no way I could ever seek forgiveness for the things I had, the lives I had taken. Self imposed exile was my only option, someplace so far away I would never have to worry about someone finding me, I wanted to cease existing, taking my own life was the coward's way out and proved how childish I was, my self-punishment was my only choice now. Then they came, the zombies, the monsters, the creatures...whatever you wish to call them...they came...and they were hungry. Whatever they didn't find and kill, they turned, and they in turn killed. There wasn't many of us left, and we soon were pared down to only a few numbers, I saw my old teacher, killing and murdering people he helped raise into fine shinobi, Sakura...my friend, my teammate, torn to pieces before my eyes. The worst thing...the worst thing, that I wish I could just forget was what I did to Naruto...he wanted it, asked for it, begged for it...and I gave it to him, I gave him peace from being one of those creatures..._

_Now I am in this...foreign world, foreign place...where everything is foreign to me. These customs...these people...this culture...I know nothing about it yet I've been thrust into it, now I must...I must...adapt...like I have before..."_

"Wow what a pretty home." Sasuke said, walking up to the large mansion that said on the placard, "Charles Xavier: Home for gifted youngsters." Sasuke walked past in and said, "What exactly counts as a gifted youngster?" Kitty replied, "Oh you'll find out soon." Sasuke then said, "So you live here?" Kitty replied, "Yes, with other people like me." Sasuke said, "People with special abilities like yours?" Kitty then said slyly, "You can say that."

Sasuke had just now noticed what a pretty smile the girl known as Kitty Pryde had, _"Seems she became pretty friendly after all..." _Kitty and Sasuke walked up to the front door and Kitty unlocked the large wooden door and walked in. There were several younger kids walking around, _"They look to be the same age as me when I first started training with Kakashi." _ Kitty then said, "Follow me ok? It's kinda easy to get lost the first time you come here." Sasuke nodded and walked behind her closely. As they made their way through the mansion Sasuke couldn't help but notice kids talking and laughing with each other, a few older people going about their business as well, _"Reminds me of the Academy..." _Kitty led Sasuke down a long hallway and said, "Here we are..." Kitty opened the door and walked in.

As Kitty and Sasuke walked into the large office they heard two people arguing, "Oh geez, sounds like Scott is over for a visit." Sasuke replied, "Scott?"

Sasuke saw 2 people inside the office, 1 person sitting down behind a desk and the other standing up on the other side of the desk, and it seemed both of them were in a heated argument. "Logan, you're being a complete fool. I decided to let you go when you decided you wanted to leave. I thought maybe giving you some time to cool down would be beneficial for both parties but I always thought you would eventually come back." The man standing up in front of the desk, in plain city clothes but had a very dark red pair of sunglasses on his face dropped his hand pretty hard on the desk. "And I told YOU, Scott, that the people that decided to leave and come with me were not being forced to do so, if they want to go back to Utopia they're more than welcome to, but as it seems they do not. They want to stay here, where Chuck wanted us to stay!" The man sitting down behind the desk was of a smaller stature but he seemed very defined, longer hair with a thick stubble. He glared at Scott intensely. Scott then said, "Logan don't be stupid, you know this place isn't safe, it was destroyed once by people that would see our kind be destroyed, at least in Utopia we are free from persecution, when are you going to get it through your thick armor-plated skull that the old way, Charles' way, just isn't going to work anymore?" Logan then said, "Now you listen here, you self important, pretty boy, no sense having', motherfu-" Logan stopped short in his sentence when he saw Kitty and Sasuke standing in the doorway. Logan caught himself and sat back in the chair, after a few seconds he cracked his neck to both sides and said, "Scott, we'll finish this discussion another time." Scott nodded and said, "Oh believe me, we will..."

Logan then turned to Kitty and said, "Hey Kat, who do you have here?" Kitty smiled and said, "Uh well I was out doing the hero thing-" Logan cut her off and said, "Kat you know how much I dislike you going out by yourself, that's not how we do things, you're not a loner like Spider-Man." Kitty replied, "Well geez let me finish my sentence why don't ya?" Logan sighed and said, "Go on." Kitty then said, "Well I ran into some trouble and some goon got the drop on me with a gun, I thought I was dead but he saved me before the bullet was even out of the chamber, I've never seen speed and agility like that before, so I thought...perhaps maybe he was one of us." Scott replied, "That certainly is interesting..." Scott walked over to Sasuke and said, "So what do you go by?" Sasuke replied, "Ah, my name is Sasuke Uchiha." Scott replied, "That's not a common name around here...where are you from?" Sasuke replied, "Some place pretty far away." Scott then said, "Now surely you can tell us where you're from?" Sasuke nodded and said, "I'm not sure that's a good idea." Scott nodded and motioned to say something else but Logan interjected, "So what brings you to the Big Apple kid?" Logan stepped around the desk, Sasuke noticed he was taller than Logan but he still looked like someone that could carry himself in a fight. Scott stepped further away from him and leaned up against the wall. "Now kid...Sasuke right?" Sasuke nodded, "If it turns out that you are one of us, we do things a certain way around here-" Scott had interjected this time and said, "And who the hell said he was going to stay here? I think all new mutants should come to Utopia."

Logan lashed back with, "You're not getting anymore to add to your little mutant army, no fucking wonder the U.S. Government has a nuke aimed at that damn island at all times." Scott retorted, "You can't seriously believe that ridiculous urban myth." Logan replied back, "Yeah I'd rather be safe than sorry, I could survive a nuke being dropped on my head, I can't say the same for everyone else on Utopia or in the mansion!" Scott replied, "Why you..." Logan then said, "You what? Say it tough guy!"

Kitty got between the 2 of them and said, "Enough! The both of you, I've known both of you since I was a kid and never have I seen 2 grown men bicker like this!" Logan settled himself and said, "I think it's time you and your squeeze got going on back home." Scott scoffed at him as somebody opened the office door and in walked a slender but curvy, beautiful blonde woman wearing a shirt and blue jeans with a bright white scarf that seemed like nothing could dirty it. She walked over and said, "Wow Logan, I didn't have to read your mind to know all the dirty names you're calling me in your mind." Logan replied ,"I aim to please, I just love to serve others." She turned to Sasuke and said, "So this is the interesting new guest?" She walked over and extended her hand, "Emma Frost. But just call me Emma ok?" Sasuke extended his and took hers, "Sas-" Sasuke suddenly felt a small buzzing in his head and felt a little light headed.

Sasuke took his hand and stepped back quickly, breathing heavy. Logan yelled at Emma, "What the hell did you do to him?" Emma replied ,"I could telepathically hear the conversation in the room, sorry for eavesdropping, but I found a few things interesting. First, why is trying to hide who he is? Then, why is he dodging any question regarding where he's from? I scanned his entire mind...pretty interesting info I found out." Sasuke caught wind and looked up at her, "You read my mind? How...did you do that?" Emma replied ,"Hey, first let me apologize for doing that. I usually ask permission first but these days you can't be too careful...but It was a measure to protect us." Logan stepped in front of her and said, "Listen here you harpy, you will not to do that to guest in MY home!" Scott inserted, "Not your home, it's Charles' home." Logan retorted back, "Well he's not around anymore, and someone has to actually have respect for what he believed in around here and keep his work alive." Scott scoffed at him and said, "Never expected this kind of attitude from the great Wolverine, some Wolverine you turned out to be." Logan snarled at him, "How fucking dare you!" Sasuke saw him extend his arms and 3 long, slender, sharp, and very clean blades extended from in between his knuckles. Logan then said, "I ought to gut you like a fish, but Charles would never let me do that when he was around, so I won't do it now when he's not. It's a shame, the pedestal he put you on and this is how you turn out. No wonder Magneto lives with you on Utopia, you turned out to be just like him." Scott grimaced and said, "What the...what the hell did you just say to me?" Logan retracted the claws back into his hands and said, "You heard me, now hear this next one, get the hell out and if you decide to come back, leave your asshole attitude home." Scott motioned at Emma to leave and they both walked out with a firm closing of the door. Logan sat down behind the desk, "Son of a bitch!" and he kicked the desk, It must've been very heavy because it didn't move. Logan reached into the cabinet and pulled out a large bottle that said "RED TURKEY WHISKEY" on the front and a glass. He poured it into the glass and took a sip from it. "I'm not cut for this caring teacher stuff..."

Kitty pulled up 2 chairs and motioned for Sasuke to sit down, "So things with Scott aren't going to get any better anytime soon are they?" Logan replied after another sip of whiskey, "No Kat, no they're not...hey kid you ok? Don't take it personally, that witch did the same thing to me when we first met." Sasuke shook his head and said, "It's alright." Logan then replied, "Look if you don't want to talk about yourself, fine. There's a lot of kids and adults here that don't exactly like talking about their pasts, one more won't make a difference." Kitty then said, "So what do we do about our guest for the time being? We still need to find out if he's a real mutant." Sasuke interjected, "After seeing what some of you people can do...I've surmised that 'mutants' are people born with...different abilities that are unique to them...well I...I kinda have something like that. It's something only people that share my bloodline can do." Logan looked at him puzzled, half hiding behind his glass of whiskey and said, "And what would that be kid?" Logan put his glass down and saw Sasuke's eyes change to the Sharingan. Logan replied, "Pretty trippy trick you got there kid, does it actually do anything?" Logan motioned to grab the bottle but his hand was frozen.

Logan said, "What the hell...why can't I move?" Sasuke replied, "I've cast a genjutsu spell on you, looking into my eyes was all I needed to cast it on you." Logan's eyes widened in surprise and said, "You...You're a ninja aren't you?" Sasuke released his Sharingan, which released the genjutsu, "How did you know?" Logan replied, "I've had some encounters with ninja before...but none that could actually make an illusion like that..." Sasuke replied, "It's no illusion. With me it's for real." Kitty just sat there looking back and forth, completely lost in the conversation. Logan said broke the silence, "Are you a part of the Hand?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "I don't know anything about some Hand." Logan replied, "What ninja clan are you from?" Sasuke replied, "I...have no...clan anymore. My entire family is dead. I'm the only person alive that holds the name of Uchiha." Logan replied, "I...uh...I see. Well then...Sasuke, why don't you follow Kitty to someplace you can sleep for the day, she'll fix you up with a hot meal, a change of clothes and a shower, won't she?" Kitty knew Logan wasn't giving her a choice, she said, "Come on Sasuke." Sasuke stood up and followed her out the door. Logan downed a whole glass of Whiskey and walked over to the window overlooking the courtyard, and watched a few children playing in the grass, "200 or so of us left on the entire goddamn planet and we're fighting like school children. What would Chuck say about us..."

Kitty took Sasuke to a bedroom and said, "Lets see here, this part of the house is where all the boys sleep, I think there's some clothes in one of these cabinets...hmmm...Ah! Here we go." Kitty laid out some clothes on the bed and said, "Here, go ahead and shower and get changed ok? Bathroom is right through there, I'll come back in a bit." Sasuke thanked her as she walked out, she turned back and half smiled and turned out the door, closing it behind her. Sasuke walked into the bathroom and took his clothes off, turning on the water and letting it get warm, _"It seems some the same amenities still exist in this world..." _He walked over to the mirror and saw his unruly long hair and stubble growing in, _"I didn't think they'd be so...well like that. I wonder if that's how everyone is like here, with those powers." _Sasuke turned his chin to left and right, _"Looking like this, it's a testament to my old life...perhaps...maybe it's time for a change..." _Sasuke ruffled through the medicine cabinet and found a shaving razor, clippers and cream.

There was knocking at the door, with someone yelling, "Sasuke!" behind it. It was Kitty, she then said, "I'm coming in ok?" She opened the door and saw Sasuke in dark blue jeans, black and white hi-top sneakers, but had his shirt in his hand. He looked at her puzzled, she replied, "Well uh..." She noticed that his upper body was very defined but the biggest change was Sasuke was now clean shaven and his hair was trimmed down to a short, lightly combed back style with a few hairs hanging forward. Sasuke hurriedly put his shirt, Kitty murmured out something that sounded like the word, "Hot." but Sasuke couldn't hear through the shirt on his head, "I'm sorry, did you say something?" Sasuke straightened up the polo shirt on him, Kitty replied, "No, I didn't say anything." Kitty had changed clothes into a house dress and sandals. Sasuke walked over to her and said, "What do you think," he ruffled his hair, "I cut it myself in the mirror, what's your opinion?" Kitty replied, "Uh...I think it looks really nice on you, brings out your eyes." Sasuke then said, "Uh...thanks I guess..." Kitty then said, "So you hungry? I am hungry. Come on lets go!" Kitty walked out quickly and Sasuke followed her. They walked down to the kitchen, there was a girl already eating ice cream at the counter, "Hey Hisako how are you doing?" Hisako replied, "Oh just eating some ice cream-" Hisako saw Sasuke and dropped her spoon immediately, and she pulled Kitty aside.

"Ok...who is that?" Kitty replied, "That's Sasuke." Hisako looked up at her and Sasuke waved at her, she put her head back down and said, "Wow he's really handsome." Kitty replied, "Uh yeah I guess so." They all sat down at the counter and Hisako asked Kitty, "So where did you meet him?" Kitty replied, "Oh he just helped me out in a jam, turns out he's one of us." Hisako replied, "You mean a mutant?" Kitty nodded and said, "Just letting him get used to the mansion, he's going to stay here until we figure out what to do with him." Sasuke interjected, "I am right here you know. And I can decide what to do on my own." Kitty smiled and said, "Hey don't worry about it, here you're among friends. There's no rush for anything right now right?" Sasuke replied, "No...I guess not. I have all the time in the world now..." Kitty replied, "You know you speak weird." Sasuke looked at her puzzled, "What do you mean?" Hisako interjected, "So tell us about yourself." Sasuke stumbled over his sentence for a moment and said, "Well, you know my name. I...uh...was raised in a place very far from here, ever since I was a child I was trained to be affluent in several skills, very special skills." Hisako replied, "What kind of skills?" Sasuke replied, "Don't worry about that, perhaps you'll find out someday." Hisako let her sentence hang and returned to her ice cream, Kitty stood up off the stool and said, "Hey want a sandwich? Idie makes awesome sandwiches." Sasuke nodded and said, "Uh ok."

Hisako, Kitty, and Sasuke sat around chatting, eating while upstairs in the office Logan sat at his desk, now halfway through his whiskey thinking about how things could get much worse. He heard a beeping sound from his laptop on the desk and opened it up, "Now lets see...damn I was never very good with these things...hmmm...ahh ok here's my inbox." Logan opened up his mail and found an email from Scott on his computer, _"Oh geez, I wonder what his highness has to say now, probably going to continue to chew me out from the comfort of his own chair..." _Logan opened up the email and read the preamble to the email.

"SUBJECT: An interesting fact about your new tenant.

Hello Logan, I realize you want to govern your own team and by the request of Emma and Erik I have decided to do just that, and let you do what you please with your own team, but there's something important you have to know that could prove dangerous. I know you weren't pleased with Emma scanning the kid's mind, I'm sorry I couldn't figure out how to spell his name, but please heed this, after scanning his mind she found some very questionable things, he knows things...he can do things that make him a serious threat. Enclosed is an attachment with a detailed report of what Emma found in his mind, please look over it carefully Logan, I know we've had our differences but if you need our help, don't hesitate to ask."

"Just what in the hell is Scott talking about?" Logan opened the attached file and looked it over, finding himself repeating key phrases. "Let's see here...another dimension?...closed off?...family was murdered by brother...deserted home town...known terrorist and murderer?...what the hell...?" Then Logan saw something that really caught his eye, "Hold on a damn second...extraction from dimension. Home dimension...declared under protocol "Z"? Only survivor? Intimate contact with zombified individuals including close combat?" Logan jumped up from his chair and sniffed the air, he could smell Sasuke, with Hisako and Kitty. "Sonofabitch! He's with the girls! They could be in danger!" Logan jumped over the desk, popping his claws and ran downstairs with haste.


	4. Friends

_You know, for as long as I could remember, all I knew was my own vengeance. I had been so…consumed by my own hubris and vanity that I let it turn me into a monster. A monster consumed by my own vengeance and hatred and it wasn't until all that was gone that I had learned my own faults. My…friends had tried to help me but I spat in their faces, knocked away their hands offering peace and only…only…well I guess it doesn't matter now. They're all gone now, Sakura…Naruto…Kakashi…now I have to cope with what happened…and also cope with the very angry man running at me with giant blades jutting out of his hands._

"Logan!" Katherine Pride screamed out as Logan lunged across the kitchen at Sasuke, he flipped forward over Logan's back, kicking him forward, headfirst into the wall. Sasuke landed on the counter, "Logan, why are you doing this!? What did I do?" Logan pulled his head out of the drywall and said, "You lied to me kid…" Katherine interjected, "What did he lie about that was so awful you want to kill him for?" Logan replied, "So you haven't told her huh kid?" Sasuke glared at Logan, "Kitty, this kid isn't from this dimension…his dimension was declared a 'Z' dimension. He's the only survivor." Kitty let out a small gasp. Sasuke then said, "What does that mean?" Logan replied, "It was an official code name given to dimensions that were turned into zombies. Yours is one of them." Sasuke then jumped off the table and pushed Logan into the wall, "You're telling me you people knew about this affliction and you did not tell us, or even yet, HELP US!?" Logan then said, "There's an untold number of dimensions, or that's what the eggheads tell me, I don't know shit about it, but there was no way we could've known." Sasuke stepped back in sat on the table, "So you're first instinct was try and kill me?" Logan replied, "You're dangerous, if you're not a zombie, then you were able to survive in that hellish world, I don't take choices with someone capable of that sort of feat."

Sasuke hung his head and said, "I'm not capable of anything anymore…I don't think…" Sasuke sighed heavily. Kitty then said, "Sasuke…I'm so sorry." Sasuke half-smiled and looked at her and said, "It's ok, and how could you have known?" Kitty replied, "Even then, it's terrible to hear." Sasuke replied darkly, "It was more terrible to live." Kitty quickly deflated. Logan walked over to Sasuke and sniffed in his direction, "You can understand my distrust kid." Sasuke nodded and said, "Absolutely, and you can understand my ire at your distrust." Logan laughed, walking around the island in their kitchen and pulling out a fresh bottle of whiskey. Logan unwrapped the plastic wrapper around the tip of the whiskey bottle and pulled out a glass from the drawer, sitting down to pour.

Sasuke then said, "So what are you going to do?" Logan downed his glass of whiskey and poured another, "Me? I'm not going to do anything. It's up to what the others are doing about it. I'm not the only one that knows who are and where you're from. You're very important ya know." Sasuke then said, "Why?" Logan then said, "Well, there's no other person that's really survived at least as far as I know." Sasuke then said, "I…I see." Sasuke stood up and walked out, Kitty said behind him, "Where are you going?" Sasuke replied in the hallway, "What does it matter?" Kitty then looked at Logan and said, "Where's Hisako?" Logan looked around and said, "She booked it." Kitty looked out the window, seeing Sasuke walk out the front gate. Kitty then said, "I shouldn't leave him alone. He's lost in this world." Logan then said, "Kat…be careful. Because you don't know anything about him is why you should be wary. Remember what I've taught you." Kitty replied, "Yeah. I'll remember."

Kitty walked out of the building at a brisk pace and walked down the street, soon rain started to come down. Kitty didn't know where to even start looking but still, she found herself concerned about the immigrant from another dimension. She then passed a small children's park and saw Sasuke sitting on a bench with his head down in the rain.

Kitty walked up to him and looked down at him, his hair wet and hanging down with Sasuke's head, "You know I played in a park a lot like this one. When I was a kid, me and the other children in my village, we would play together. Things like hide-and-seek, tug of war, and foot races. Then…" Kitty then said, "The zombies?" Sasuke looked up at her and said, "No. My big brother murdered our family." Kitty had a puzzled look on her face, "Your brother…?" Sasuke finished her sentence, "Murdered our whole family. I didn't play with the other children anymore. I didn't have fun anymore. I was so…consumed…" Kitty stood still and said, "By what?" Sasuke then said, "My own hatred and pain." Kitty then said, "Why are you telling me this?" Sasuke replied, "Because it might validate that I actually exist anymore…I'm so alone. Why was I even rescued, I should be chow for one of my friends right now, and I'm here…I'm fine…but I'm alone again. Fuck this…" Kitty then said, "Hey, look you don't have to be alone anymore ok? I'll be your friend." Sasuke then replied, "My friends have an awful habit of dying." Kitty smiled and said, "I've had a couple close calls but nothing has done me in yet." Lightning cracked in the sky, lighting up the area, Kitty saw Sasuke's eyes, they were changed, red and black. Kitty replied, "Your eyes…" Sasuke then said, "That's just my Sharingan, to see what needs to be seen." Sasuke stood up and Kitty looked up to him and said, "Why don't you tell me about yourself?" Sasuke then replied, "Sure you want to know?" Kitty nodded affirmative as the rain stopped.

Sasuke then asked, "Why are you being so nice to me? You don't even know me." Kitty replied, "Because you need someone to be nice to you." Sasuke stood up and walked over to the touched her shoulder with his index finger, instantly all the water in Kitty's clothes from the rain misted into the air, leaving her clothes and hair dry, then Sasuke did the same to himself. Kitty then said, "That's a very useful trick." Sasuke replied, "I'm full of useful tricks." Sasuke and Kitty sat down on the bench and Sasuke proceeded to tell Kitty about his life, who his people were, what he was and the things he did. She listened very intently, never seeming bored once. After what seemed like hours Sasuke's story was finally over and Kitty said, "Wow, that's a lot to take in." Sasuke sat back and said, "Yeah I know." Kitty thought for a moment and said, "So, the eyes in your head, they really were your brothers'?" Sasuke nodded and said, "Yes." Kitty then said, "Wow. We don't even have that type of medical technology." Sasuke then said, "Yes our medical capabilities were quite impressive, but I wasn't a medical ninja so I couldn't tell you very much." Kitty replied, "You seemed to lead…a very interesting life." Sasuke replied, "You could say that, but I doubt 'interesting' is a powerful enough word." Sasuke sat back and waited for a moment and said, "It's late. You should go back." Kitty replied, "What about you?" Sasuke looked at her and said, "Don't worry ok? I'll be fine. Meet me here tomorrow at noon. I'll be waiting for you." Kitty then said, "Where are you going? I'll go with you." Sasuke then said, "I just need some time alone right now ok? Remember, tomorrow at noon." Sasuke disappeared into a cloud of smoke, Kitty stood up in astonishment and looked around, and Sasuke was gone. Kitty thought to herself "_Sasuke…how mysterious…and confusing…"_ Kitty turned around and walked towards the mansion where Logan was probably waiting for her but he'd make up some ridiculous excuse so he doesn't look like he was concerned. _"He's also kind of cute." _

In another part of the city, in a dark alley way out of the way, a gathering of very shady individuals takes place. A long black fancy limousine sits in the alley, the back door opens and someone steps inside and sits down. "I'm happy you could join me, Norman." Norman Osborne replied, "Yes well I don't come to these sorts of places often. It does horrors for reputation, hanging around in dirty alley ways." The man sitting across from him then said, "If you control the bottom of the food chain then the top is yours to command since the top feeds on the bottom, the ones at the top have to go through me if they want to feel powerful, ergo why you're talking to me." Norman Osborne replied, "That logic is ridiculous." The man replied, "Is it? Is it really when you tried so hard to get these…these…superheroes off the street when you actually held an office of importance and every other businessman in a suit and tie was against you?" Norman replied, "What happened with SHIELD was a…regrettable happening." The man replied, "And that's why you hide from shell company to shell company, hoping those SHIELD dogs don't find you. This is why you came to Mr. Negative, because I know how to make people…hard to find. Which, in my opinion; I've done a damn good job."

Norman sighed and said, "Yes, you have done a good job, getting you in a more…higher position in the business world could either prove a detriment or a benefit. I guess time will tell, but right now I need to discuss business." Mr. Negative replied, "Discuss then." Norman Osborne pulled a manila folder from his coat and handed it to Mr. Negative. "We don't have much more information on him, just a few pictures and results of his physical. " Mr. Negative replied, "I see, that's unfortunate. But considering he's from a different dimension entirely kinda explains that." Norman replied, "Yes, Sasuke Uchiha is a quite an interesting individual just beyond his name. His physical has shown he's in perfect shape, his entire body is 100% pure muscle. Scans of brain have shown incredible intelligence. In fact just trying to administer shots to him to vaccinate him from diseases was difficult, all the needles would snap when they tried to pierce his skin. I took the liberty of cross referencing this information with Steve Rogers and the serum that made him. Sasuke's body is even more advanced than his, seeing his combat capabilities will be very…interesting. If he could survive a completely zombified dimension by himself, then he's obviously not someone to trifle with." Mr. Negative then said, "Yes I know. I've already met him." Norman replied, "You've met him without my knowledge?" Mr. Negative replied, "He was very interesting, for the few minutes I talked to him anyway. But I am preparing…a test of sorts to see where we're at with Sasuke." Norman replied, "I believe our agreement still stands?" Mr. Negative replied, "Yes, you can study him when we've captured him, but afterwards he's mine. Having him become one of my fold would greatly increase my power." Norman replied, "Good then. Well if that's all…" Norman opened the door and stepped out of the limo, then getting into his own chauffeured vehicle and driving off. Mr. Negative looked over the papers once again and said, "Driver." The limo started and they drove onto the street. Mr. Negative pulled a cell phone and took a snapshot of Sasuke's picture then sent it somewhere from his phone, "Now Sasuke, let's see how you handle a visit from my friends."


	5. Our Kind?

_Surprises. I'm not a stranger to them. I've seen surprises my entire life. Like when I aced my first ninja training exam. Or when I found out how much the girls were interested in me. I'm sure not to forget the day I came home and saw that my older brother had slaughtered our entire family and left me alive. It's strange how things like that work out. Especially the surprise when I found out the real truth behind my brother killing our entire family, learning what my father was really planning to engage in a coup with the village. But for me, the biggest surprise was when our entire planet was taken over by zombie monsters intent on killing their family and friends and making them just like them. Now I'm here in this different world I'm expected to call home. At least they're treating me friendly, well mostly anyway._

Buildings jutting into the sky, the smell of smoke and grit filling the night air in this dark neighborhood, Sasuke bounded effortlessly from rooftop to rooftop without a hitch, taking in the sights below him. Seeing all the people getting in and out of taxis, horns honking at people, people screaming at each other in the streets, Sasuke got the chance to see how this living breathing city organically lived below him. In a way it reminded him of Konoha, but this was obviously very different. Sasuke landed on a giant building that seemed to be a church, sitting next to a very large gothic gargoyle on the roof. He examined the stone creature for a moment and nestled next to it, hoping to have a chance to reflect on what has happened to him recently, he almost hoped he would forget what happened, forget everything and just start a new life, but he couldn't. His old life, the old him was still here, he was still the same person, just in a different habitat than before. _"Could I really…survive here…? Is my life even worth living anymore if I have to go on living without them? Can I really live in this shell of a person I am now…"_

The rain started again, this time it came down hard. Sasuke looked up into the downpour sky, watching the rain hit against his forehead hoping the noise of the rain pattering against the stone and rock would drown out the sounds…the sounds of people screaming. That's what Sasuke remembers the most, the screams. The screams were the most horrifying thing Sasuke could ever remember, it scared him more than when his family was killed, at least with that scenario he knew that there was a chance at vengeance, now he knew what his vengeance had cost him, his friends, his home, everything he'd ever known. And now all he knows is hardness, the hardness that has overcome his heart, blocked out anything close to warmness or love. Sasuke shook the thoughts from his head and looked over to see a large tower with a bell in it, probably a signal for when church was in session. Sasuke jumped into the belfry of the tower and sat in the corner and stewed in his thoughts.

"So you're the one we were sent to seek?" Sasuke snapped to attention and viewed his surroundings. It was just him in the belfry while the rain came down. Sasuke then said aloud, "Who's there? Show yourself." Sasuke heard the creak of boards and faint footsteps, he knew he was not alone and there was more than one visitor stalking him. Sasuke backed up towards the opening of the belfry, with the wall of rain behind his back, a crack of thunder shot through the sky and as if it were a signal, a dark shadow dropped from above, aiming to attack Sasuke. He side stepped the assailant with great agility but the attacker compensated by spinning their body to deliver an agile side kick, Sasuke grabbed the attacker's leg and threw him into the bell, making a very loud gong resonate through the belfry, Sasuke covered his ears in recoil from being in such close proximity to such a loud sound. Sasuke looked up and was punched in the face by another attacker, almost making Sasuke fall out of the belfry entrance overlooking the hard street. Sasuke grabbed the frame of the entrance to grab his balance and used his arm as a fulcrum to swing out of the belfry and re- enter through the adjacent entrance, taking the second attacker by surprise and kneeing him in the face, then delivering a uppercut, elbow strike, spinning backhand, using the momentum from the spin to deliver another knee to his side, then right hook across the face knocking the attacker into the wall behind him.

The first attacker that Sasuke threw into the bell had recovered and had tried to capture Sasuke in a grapple before Sasuke could continue attacking the other assailant, _"They're well trained, but not nearly enough to beat me." _ Sasuke broke out of the grapple then delivered several crushing strikes to vital areas, the shoulder blades, the sides, the rib cage, and the face. Then the other attacker came from behind and the two attackers tried to fight Sasuke at once, he was able to dodge and weave and parry every strike from his opponents simultaneously, one of his opponents tried to jump and sweep kick, Sasuke ducked down then grabbed the assailant by his other leg then swung him with great force into the other attacker, knocking them both into the wall that overlooked the roof of the church. Sasuke then ran with a start and tackled the 2 assailants through the wooden wall, slamming both of them down onto the hard church roof in the rain. Both of the attackers staggered to their feet as thunder cracked through the sky again, illuminating them, they were dressed in black robes, faces covered, eyes with visors, whoever they were they did not their identities being seen. Sasuke ran them down again kneeing both of them in face with each knee, knocking them with a roll across the roof. One was definitely down for the count as he wasn't moving an inch but the other one rolled over and tried to crawl away but Sasuke grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed his face into the hard stone. He then rolled him over and punched him across the face, "Who are you people!? What do you want!?" He refused to answer, Sasuke then delivered a few more blows. When he stopped his attacker coughed and saw blood dripping through the wrappings around his face, then washing away in the rain.

"Tell me what you people want from me!" Sasuke struck him again and raised his hand to hit him again but was stopped when he started making a gurgling sound, as if he wanted to say something. It seemed he was trying to make words but he raised his head closer to Sasuke's and then he started laughing in his face, Sasuke was stricken with rage then pounded him some more, progressively harder and harder. Blood dripped from the wrappings on his face and Sasuke raised his arm again to finish the job, he wanted to kill him, he was compelled to beat him to death, and he was prepared to do it. He brought down his fist upon the assailant, a snapping sound, and then a crack. He had punched him so hard across the face, he broke his neck. Sasuke threw him to the ground and walked to the other side of the roof for the other assailant. He lay where he was before, though he had come to and was trying to crawl away like his partner…well to be more exact; ex-partner.

Sasuke picked him and threw him across the roof, into a gargoyle. His limbs hanging from the gargoyle, keeping him propped up, Sasuke delivered an uppercut to the gut, making the attacker gasp for air as he doubled over, Sasuke grabbed his head and slammed it into the gargoyle's face. "I hope for your sake you know how to be more cooperative than your friend." Sasuke propped his head up to his, "Now you're going to tell me what I want to know. Who sent you? Why did they send you?" The assailant coughed blood threw his face wrappings and gasped for breath. "You better start talking; I'm starting to get into a bad mood." Sasuke wrapped his hand around his neck and started to choke him. The assailant choked out what seemed like words so Sasuke loosened his grip, "Oh so there's something to want to tell me?" The attacker took another breathe, "We were unprepared, for someone like you…" Sasuke raised his head and said, "That's an understatement. Now tell me something I DON'T KNOW before I lose my patience." The attacker gasped for air again as blood and water filled into his mouth, "We were sent by…" Sasuke eased up again, "You were sent by….?" He continued, "They sensed your presence, an inner energy more powerful than anything ever seen before, a chi never seen before…" Sasuke thought to himself, _"Chi? Isn't that another word for chakra?" _ Sasuke then said, "Who the hell sent you?" The assailant then said, "We were sent by-"Sasuke jumped back as a large sai impaled the assailant through the neck. The attacker, pinned against the gargoyle from his neck, gurgled and convulsed before dying. Sasuke looked back at the top of the belfry and saw a shape standing upon the belfry, then jumping down onto the roof.

Thunder and lightning cracked through the sky, illuminating the roof once again and Sasuke saw her, a woman. She was dressed in red, long black raven hair, a bandanna holding her hair back. She also wore red boots and a red cloth sarong covering her midsection. In her left hand was a sai, identical to the one that just killed Sasuke's would-be attacker. "It seems your friends here didn't know what they were getting into." Sasuke took a few more steps forward, "Are you the one that sent these two after me?" She finally replied, "Your skills are amazing. Very rarely I see a display of such…beautiful brutality. You're beautiful." Sasuke stepped forward more, "You think I'm beautiful? Because of the way I killed them?" She stepped closer to him, now within 10 feet of the other in the center of the roof, rain still coming down hard as ever. "Yes. Like I said earlier, that was a work of art." Sasuke then said, "You sound like you want to sample some 'art' for yourself." She replied, "I…I would, very much so. But first, I have come to find you, at great effort honestly. Would you…honor me with your name?" Sasuke looked at her sideways then said, "Uchiha. My name is Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke could swear she made out a small smile, "My name is Elektra." Sasuke then said, "Well then tell me what you want from me, Elektra; I want to know right now." Elektra replied, "Well, we felt you." Sasuke replied, "You felt me?" Elektra then said, "Yes. It's like we had no idea you existed before. One day you just appeared and all the elders of my order felt your overwhelming energy. They told me you were to be found at once and brought to them at all cost." Sasuke replied, "So why the subterfuge, the attack? Why didn't you just come to me normally and ask me?" Elektra replied, "We've always adhered to the old ways, some more than others. I would've been ok with just contacting you normally, but my elders…they insisted on you being forced. They wanted to test your abilities for themselves. I'm sure by now they know that you've killed 2 of our best operatives." Sasuke replied, "Operatives? Who the hell are you people?" Elektra replied, "We are ninja, the order of the Hand." Sasuke replied with exclaim, "Ninja!? You people are shinobi? Our kind still exists in this world!?" Sasuke felt a pang of excitement at the thought that someone that knew his ways existed in this world.

Elektra replied, "Are you implying that you yourself are a ninja, and what do you mean by 'this world'?" Sasuke composed himself and said, "It's…it's nothing. Don't worry about the details." Elektra then said, "Will you come with me?" Sasuke then said, "Where are you taking me?" Elektra replied, "Japan, Where our headquarters are." Sasuke then said, "And if I refuse?" Elektra then raised her sai at Sasuke and said, "I think you have a pretty good idea what will happen." Sasuke then remembered he said he would meet Kitty tomorrow in the park. He felt as if he should honor his word, but this new development, somebody that could understand who he was before…his old life. Sasuke longed for that old life again, he needed that back desperately, without it, and he didn't know what his life was worth. Sasuke then motioned towards the 2 unnamed Hand ninja, "What about them?" Elektra replied, "They knew what they were getting into, they carried out their orders with the utmost honor and dignity, and died with the utmost honor and dignity. They will be disposed of properly by our kind." Sasuke then repeated, "Our kind…" Sasuke looked up to Elektra and then walked up to her, she was the same height he was, "Ok, I'll go with you. Take me your…elders." Elektra smiled and put away her sai, "Exactly what I was hoping for."


	6. Panic

"What an odd machine…" Sasuke said aloud. Elektra replied, "You're obviously from some place very far away." Sasuke and Elektra stood in front of a private plane on the tarmac of an airport, directed towards Japan. Sasuke then said aloud, "What is it?" Elektra replied, "It's an airplane, a large metal machine that flies through the air to transport you to faraway places in shorter amounts of time." Sasuke then said, "In my world, we normally traveled by sea." Elektra replied, "We've advanced in technology far enough that we don't need to travel on ships anymore." Sasuke then said as they were walking up to the stairs leading inside, "So how long will the wait be?" Elektra replied, "Don't worry it'll only be a couple hours. Just get some rest and we'll be there before you know it." Sasuke wasn't sure how he felt about Elektra's cold responses; they were familiar, devoid of emotion, much like him. It was in this respect he felt a kinship to a ninja like Elektra.

It was an hour into their flight, Sasuke and Elektra sat across from another, she stared at him intently, as if keeping watch to see if Sasuke would attempt to renege on his agreement and escape. Sasuke couldn't help but start to get antsy in this small metal tube; all Sasuke could hear was the wind outside and the whirring of the engines of the airplane. It was so new to Sasuke; never in his life he thought he would ever be in this situation, it…it was it almost surreal to him. After another 2 hours it finally seemed that Elektra had let down her guard and her eyes had closed, either she had fallen asleep or she was feigning sleep to test Sasuke. He looked around, there was only one steward on the plane but she only came around once, she took one look at Elektra then never came back again, Sasuke figured it was good for her, he didn't think Elektra mingled with normal people very well. That was the distinction, there was normal people like that steward, and then there were people like Sasuke and Elektra, people very different. People that left very different lives. Sasuke unbuckled his seatbelt, thinking maybe he would go to the restroom, but then quickly realizing he didn't have to go. He looked out the opposite window and saw the night sky and clouds, and not much of anything else. The seats were uncomfortable to him, even though the pilot of the plane had told them to buckle in, case of emergency, but Sasuke figured if the plane was going down from this height; whether or not he was wearing a seatbelt would've helped.

Sasuke sat down in the middle of the floor, in a meditative position, and closed his eyes. Sasuke recounted everything up to now, the people he's met, the fights he's had, and the people he's lost. Any other person would've stopped and gave up a long time ago, but he kept going, thing was he couldn't figure out why. He just couldn't figure out what his life was worth anymore, even though he had found ninja in this world, they weren't like him, only similarity was their title. Ninja. Sasuke soon wondered if that title was even worth having anymore…he wondered if living was worth doing anymore.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke looked up and Elektra was looking down on him. Sasuke replied, "Just…looking for a more comfortable position than those small seats." Elektra nodded then said, "Well if you didn't hear it, the pilot said that we're about to land. Please return to your seat." Sasuke nodded and returned back to his seat. Within the next hour the plane finally touched land. They stopped on another tarmac in a large airport. Elektra and Sasuke left the airplane and walked into the large airport, hundreds of people passing by, hurrying to make it to their planes. Sasuke then said, "Wow this place is huge." Elektra replied, "Welcome to Tokyo." Sasuke then replied, "So when are we going to meet…whoever you want me to meet?" Elektra replied, "A car is waiting for us outside. Follow me." Sasuke noticed how quickly she avoided the question, probably didn't want to say anything in a public place like this. Sasuke then said as they got into a long black stretch limo, "So what can I expect when we get there?" Elektra replied, "I couldn't tell you. I don't know what they plan to do. This is the first time this is happened ever, someone like you appearing and all. To be honest, I'm interested as well." Sasuke nodded and replied, "I'm interested as well…"

Sasuke didn't think it would be a long drive, but he was wrong. Before he knew they had been driving for hours, now in the most mountainous region of Japan, the sun had already come up, Sasuke was very surprised, Elektra had been up for almost 2 days straight and didn't know the slightest sign of fatigue, and it seemed she was specially picked to retrieve him for this reason. They had finally stopped outside a large mansion hidden in greenery and rock. It seemed like the path behind them closed, so that followers would have to abandon their attempt. Sasuke and Elektra left the vehicle and walked up a long path, rocks and greenery to their left and right. It was beautiful; whoever lived here was indeed very lucky.

Elektra led Sasuke into a room with a large bed, well lit lamps, and hot food steaming on a table in the center of the room. "You are to stay here until you are called. There is a bathroom, a bed, and food here for you. Pass the time however you wish, but please stay in this room." Sasuke then said, "And what if I don't?" Elektra then said, "You did well against 2 of our operatives, how would you fair against 2,000?" Sasuke then nodded and said, "Ok, I won't leave anywhere." Elektra left the room, sliding the door shut behind her, Sasuke heard the footsteps become faint and disappear, but Sasuke knew his room was being watched, he could feel their presence, ready to attack him with deadly force if he tried to leave. _"Whoever wants to see me here, wants to make sure that I don't leave now that I'm so close. This will be interesting." _ Sasuke walked over to the table and uncovered all the heated plates on the table, different preparations of pork, chicken, and beef. Vegetables, rice, fruits, and grains, someone wanted to make sure Sasuke wanted for nothing. He was very hungry, he couldn't remember the last time he ate…but then he did, he ate with Kitty in New York. He wondered how she was, and if she was thinking about him. He told her he would meet her but now he won't be coming, he wondered if he would ever see her again.

Sasuke got up from the table and laid down on the bed, it was comfortable. Suddenly it seemed the last few days had caught up to him, first he was voraciously hungry, now dead tired. He just wanted to close his eyes and not open them for a couple days. It quickly seemed a couple days was too much to ask for, he opened his eyes and looked out the window, It was either midafternoon, or Sasuke had slept a whole day, it felt like he slept a whole day. Standing above him was Elektra, still with that dutiful yet piercing look in her eyes, "I trust you had a good rest?" Sasuke sat up and said, "Uh…yeah. I suppose these past couple days caught up to me. I hope I haven't kept your elders waiting." Elektra then said, "No, you haven't. Would you like to have breakfast? My elders would like you to be well fed and well rested. We are not without the utmost hospitality." Elektra pointed to the center table, all the old food on the table had been replaced with several breakfast items, a feast fit for a king. Sasuke stood up and walked over to the table and sat down, Elektra across from him. Sasuke then said, "Are you going to have any?" Elektra replied, "No, I've eaten already." Sasuke nodded and very awkwardly ate the many different types of bacon and cheese omelets and hash browns and juices.

Sasuke finished, with Elektra still staring right at him, "Are you finished?" Sasuke then replied, "Yeah, yeah I'm done." Elektra got up and pushed her chair in, "Good. Please follow me." Elektra walked out of the room and Sasuke after her. They had walked out into the courtyard, tall bamboo trees and a creek running through the middle; it really was a small paradise, hidden away in the mountains. Elektra stopped at a large metal door; it seemed out of place in the mansion of bamboo, apparently there was something important inside. Elektra then said, "This is it. I should tell you to hold the utmost respect in this room, should you disrespect the elders, I will not hesitate to kill you where you stand." Sasuke nodded in the affirmative and Elektra opened the door. Sasuke walked in and Elektra closed to door behind him and they both walked in, they came to a circular room, it was very dark in the room with 3 small booths before them, Sasuke could make out the outline of 3 people inside them, separated by a barely see-through veil. A voice came from the center shadow, "Hello Elektra." Elektra then knelt down her knees and bowed her head. A voice from the left shadow, a female voice, called out, "Are you one the one we have sent Elektra for?" Sasuke stood as Elektra knelt on the floor with her head down, "Yes, I am." Voices called from the right container, another female voice, "Please, tell us your name." Sasuke Uchiha." The only male voice from the center shadow then said, "Nice to meet you Sasuke. Do you know why you are here?" Sasuke replied, "I couldn't imagine what you want from me." The center shadow then said, "We wanted to know what…exactly you are. One day we were having our afternoon tea, and then your presence appeared. We could…feel your energy, like a sack of bricks on our chests. It was scary, yet amazing at the first time. You see, through training and expanding our minds, we slowly become sensitive to the flow of energy of the world, the chi of the world. It was always a steady yet powerful flow, then you appeared, and now it's been thrown completely out of balance. We had to find out who you were, what you are, then decide what to do from there." Sasuke then replied, "Well I'm here, and you know who I am…" The right shadow then said, "Yes, but there's more we want to know…" Sasuke turned to her, she continued, "Where are you from? There's no way a human like you can exist with this kind of chi emanating from your body." Sasuke then replied, "I don't have chi, the energy I employ is called Chakra." The left shadow then said, "Chakra? Well the energy has gone by different names, chakra, Ki, chi…interesting that you call it chakra though." Sasuke then said, "So that's interesting."

The center shadow then said, "Sasuke, we have a request." Sasuke replied, "And what would that be?" The center shadow replied, "We would like you to impart your knowledge with us." Sasuke then said, "What kind of knowledge?" The center then said, "We would like to know everything about you, and how to access the level of…chakra that you have access to." Sasuke then said, "It's not the type of thing that can just be taught, if that were the case then everybody would be the same. It's something that people have to strive for and learn on their own. I did. My…friends did when they were alive." The right shadow then said, "What do you mean, 'when they alive'?" Sasuke looked back to Elektra, her gaze was still to the floor, Sasuke then said, "I'm not from this dimension. My home, where I'm from, everything I know was destroyed and taken from me. Now there's no way to go home, or to repair the damage that's been done." The left shadow then said, "What exactly happened?" Sasuke replied, "They were turned into zombies, all flesh eating, undead monsters. And the entire world was taken over by zombies with the same powers that I have. It was over in weeks. I'm the only one who was lucky enough to survive." The center shadow then said, "So you're quite special. A jewel like you can never fall into the hands of another party. For that reasoning we must ask you to stay here, on a permanent basis." Sasuke replied, "Stay here?" The left shadow then replied, "Yes. You'll have everything you'll need here. And we would request you share what knowledge you can share about the ninjas of your dimension. It seems the ninjas of your dimension are of a level far unattainable to ours."

Sasuke looked to the left shadow, then to the right shadow, "Look, I appreciate you guys spending the money and time to bring me here and talk to me, but I can't stay here forever. I'm very grateful for the offer obviously but It's a request that I cannot grant you. Please understand." The center shadow then said, "Oh we understand. We understand very well. And we hope you understand that we cannot allow you to leave. Your power is something special, so special in fact that it can't be allowed to run rampant, for that reason we will have to tell you that if you want to leave, it won't be without resistance." Sasuke then replied, "You can't be serious. You're willing to go this far for something that might happen?" The right shadow then said, "You're leaving us without a choice here, Sasuke Uchiha. Your choices are thus, stay here with us, or fight for your life." Sasuke thought about it for a moment, but he knew what his answer as 5 minutes ago. Sasuke then said, "If that's the case, then I will not stay."

In that instant Elektra had risen and had stabbed at Sasuke with a sai, Sasuke grabbed her arm and flipped her over and held her in submission. Elektra had pulled out several small senbon and threw them straight at Sasuke's face, even at that range and speed, Sasuke plucked them out of the air and threw them straight at the shadows of the elders. They passed through their veils but the elders had already left. Elektra swung her leg up and tried to kick Sasuke in the face, Sasuke let go of her arm and jumped back. Elektra got up to her feet instantly, "You know I've been thinking about this for a little while now. I'm looking forward to this." Sasuke then raised his arms in a defensive posture and said, "Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're a woman." Elektra then said, "I would certainly hope so." Elektra unsheathed a second sai then spun them nimbly between her fingers for a few seconds, circling around the room with Sasuke.

Elektra pounced on Sasuke, trying to stab Sasuke from both sides with her sais, Sasuke slapped her forearms with both arms, then bringing his hands in to deliver several powerful blows to her midsection, Elektra brought her sais back up but Sasuke grabbed her wrists but Elektra then kneed him right to the chin, making Sasuke recoil back, Elektra went for the killing blow but Sasuke had vanished behind Elektra and picked her up onto his shoulders, rolling her off his shoulders, then side kicking her in the chest into the wall. Elektra bounced back off the wall, throwing a small orb at Sasuke's face, then exploding into a green mist, it choked Sasuke for just a split second with its terrible odor, a split second that happened to be all that Elektra needed as she stabbed a sai into Sasuke left shoulder, he reflexively stepped back to dodge the other sai, which just cut Sasuke across his right cheek. Sasuke grabbed Elektra by the arm holding the sai that just stabbed and picked her up off her feet and dropped her midsection on his knee, then spinning across the floor with a kick to the face. Elektra rolled into the floor, then quickly sitting up and throwing her other sai at Sasuke; he then caught it out of the air.

Sasuke dropped it on the floor then with both hands pulled the sai out of the shoulder, dropping that one as well. "Elektra, I really don't want to continue this. I don't want to kill you." Elektra then said, "I've done once before, believe me I'm not scared of it, nor am I scared of continuing this fight with you. Only one person is walking out of here, still breathing and it most certainly won't be you." Sasuke thought to herself, _"She's probably really trying to fight me right now. She has no idea I'm barely trying. I'm not even using the Sharingan or advanced Taijutsu." _ Elektra coughed up some blood and got to her feet. She then walked to her left and opened a cabinet that was off to the side that Sasuke didn't notice before. She pulled out a katana from the cabinet; it was sheathed in a dark wooden sheath with the pattern of the single flower petal in the middle. She unsheathed the blade, a shining clean, razor sharp blade. Its brilliance left a slice of light that reflected off it, across the room. "That sword must only be used on special occasions. Elektra replied, "Yes. A special occasion indeed." Elektra pounced at Sasuke with the sword leading point, anyone else, anything else, that sword would part it as if it was created to be split apart, but Sasuke was not anybody else, and he knew the right sword when he saw it. Sasuke weaved around it with blur speed and grabbed Elektra by the neck, picking her up with one hand and disarming her with the other, crushing both her hands with his one. He heard the crackling and pop of her hands the katana falling point down into the floor. Elektra then said between chokes, "I can't believe this…being beaten so easily. I didn't think you could be this powerful." Sasuke pulled her face close to his and said, "I wasn't even trying." Sasuke uppercut her right into the gut, she coughed up a mouthful of blood, Sasuke released his grip, then delivering a powerful hook to her face, sending her through the metal door, smashing it off the hinges. Sasuke picked up the sheathe of the blade and then katana itself, "You're mine now." Sasuke stepped out through the dented metal door and stepping over Elektra, "The only reason I spared you was because I respect your ability as a ninja."

Sasuke walked out into the courtyard and was in the middle of the courtyard before the sunlight was blocked out. Sasuke looked up and on the roof surrounding him were ninja, dressed similarly to his attackers in New York, they were gathering on the roof, in the rooms that open onto to the courtyard, and jumping into the courtyard itself. Sasuke then said out loud to the large group of Hand ninja, "Are you all going to fight me?" They all brandished different weapons immediately. Sasuke then said, "All right then."

Sasuke walked out of the large mansion, exiting through the large gateway door, Sasuke took one last look through the door, the entire foyer garden littered with bodies. He closed the door and walked up the path, surprisingly the limo that brought him here in the first place was still there. It wasn't until he got to the limo that he saw his reflection in the window, he was covered in blood and his clothes were ruined. Sasuke opened the back door, put his katana inside and then sat inside, the voice of the driver came out from the front seat "Anywhere you'd like to go sir?" Sasuke replied, "Take me somewhere I can acquire new clothes." The driver replied, "Immediately sir." The limo lurched forward then down the road.

In a few hours, they were back in the city. Sasuke saw all the all people and cars and everyone going about their business, something so metropolitan was foreign to him. The limo stopped in front of a store, "Sir, shall I go in a get something for you?" Sasuke then said, "I don't have any money?" The driver replied very cool and calmly, "Please don't worry. My employers have given me quite the boon with which to use however I wish. I have a pretty good idea what would look nice on you." Sasuke then said, "Uh…well…ok."

The Driver then left the vehicle and in less than 10 minutes came back with a change of clothes for Sasuke, surprising to him, they all fit. He had purchased some very well made jeans and hoody, the price tag had a comma in the number and then some other numbers, however much it was, it cost a lot. Of course, Sasuke never cared much about what clothes he wore, as long as they were comfortable and he could fight in them. These clothes were satisfactory. "I'm impressed. You're good." The Driver replied back, "Thank you sir." Sasuke then said, "I need to find a way back to New York, can you help me with that?" The Driver said, "Well…that's a little out of my ability. You'll have to find someone that knows someone that can get you on a plane illegally. That or find a boat."

Sasuke sat back and said, "Look…hey pal you've been really nice to me and everything, but this is where we part ways." Sasuke opened the door and then said before leaving the vehicle, "If you follow me, or tell anyone where I was, I will find you and I will kill you." The Driver replied, "Yes sir, understood." Sasuke closed the door behind him and the limo drove off, he was glad to have the small assistance that he just got but everything now must be done by him, for him, alone. Sasuke didn't know where he was, and how to get to back to New York but he figured he would scope the place out and see what this place had to offer, it was much different than New York.

Sasuke walked down the busy street watching all the people going about their business, it was similar to New York but an obviously different culture.

Sasuke was most interested in getting off the streets and somewhere quiet. Crowded streets full of strangers in a city Sasuke has never been in in a universe that Sasuke still doesn't quite understand. _"How do I get out of here?" _Sasuke found himself at the nexus of a several large streams of people and Sasuke soon started to lose his way in the confusion, he was stuck in several groups of people getting knocked around. Sasuke started to feel something he's never felt before, a strange grip on his breathe, trouble drawing breathe and all the people seemed to lock up all sight of anything outside, tall towers of shopping bags, clothes, and cellphones surrounded him. Sasuke soon decided to just plow through the group of people, not paying much attention to holding back his real strength as not to hurt anyone, he saw people falling down and cursing after him but he didn't care, Sasuke darted down an alley and slid down to the pavement in between 2 dumpsters.

Sasuke caught his breathe and thought to himself, _"What the hell was that? Did I have a panic attack?" _ Sasuke found himself in a cold sweat, something was happening to him and he certainly didn't like it. Sasuke brought himself to his feet and looked out the alley, there was still 100s of people crowding the street and Sasuke didn't want to risk anything happening. Sasuke just walked down the alley parallel to the street, not knowing where he was going, as long as he was going. He soon lost the sounds of the crowded streets with music and car horns blaring everywhere and things seemed very quiet now. He didn't know where he was or how long he had been walking, at least a few miles. Sasuke considered asking someone for help but now he was alone in a dark, dank alley.

Sasuke soon heard footsteps behind him as soon as he began considering turning back, he turned to a group of tall, very angry men. Sasuke said aloud, "Can I help you with something?" The man standing in a group of 10 men walked over to him, he wasn't wearing a shirt, covered all over his body in bright and obvious tattoos. He said, "Yeah you can, you can hand all your belongings and your shoes over and get lost chump." Sasuke then said with a smirk, "It'd be hard to do that considering I have no valuables or money on me. So that just leaves my shoes and it's really cold out." The man put on a very angry and menacing face, "Oh you want to be smart, huh asshole?" Sasuke replied, "It wouldn't be hard to be smarter than you." The group of men behind their leader started razzing at their leader. He silenced them and then turned to him, "Motherfucker, do you know who I am? I kill me a man every day on the day because I get bored sometimes. I've beaten women and children! You think I'm going to back off from a punk, badmouthing me and trying to insult my intelligence?!" Sasuke paused for a moment and gave it some thought, "You have no intelligence though." The mugger's group of men started razzing him again. After silencing the group, the thug leader soon said, "Alright shithead, I'm giving you just one chance, ONE FUCKING CHANCE! To bow and apologize for speaking to me like that, if you do that I'll consider letting you leave with all your fingers and toes."

Sasuke put on a face to make this man think he was putting thought into it and said, "No." The man soon flipped out into a tirade of profanity and rage pulled out a cleaver knife from behind his back and brought it back to swing it down at Sasuke but in that second he delivered a crushing blow to his rib cage, bringing him to his knees and then to the floor instantly. Sasuke looked at the others and then said, "Anyone else care to try to take my shoes?" They stepped forward menacingly at first, but someone jumped from the group and grabbed their boss and pulled him away, with one of the group saying, "Sorry for disturbing you sir, have a nice night!" then they took their boss and ran away with great haste, almost as if they were scared of something.

Sasuke thought to himself, _"Seems they weren't as dumb as I thought they were." _Sasuke turned around and continued walking along his way, being followed by more than just his own shadow. Sasuke stood at the entrance of the alleyway and looked out into the crowd of people, he gripped his chest. His heart started pounding again in his chest like a drum. Sasuke stepped back from the entrance and slunk down to sitting on the pavement against a wall, _"Come on, and get it together. What's happening to me?" _Sasuke looked out at the crowd and people and remembered how closed in he felt, and how he had never felt that before until now, for some reason. _"I need someplace a little more open." _Sasuke stood up and climbed up a fire escape, walking onto the roof of a tall shopping center. Sasuke walked over to the guard rail and looked down at all the people, seeing heads and hats passing each other like ants in an ant farm. Sasuke stepped back as looking down soon brought back that tight grip in his chest. _"That feeling…I feel scared. I….I'm scared." _Sasuke looked down at his hands trembling, he felt vulnerable. He's been feeling that since he came to this dimension.

Sasuke heard some footsteps coming up behind him, "Look, I'm not in a mood to deal with some muggers right now ok? Just back off." He heard a reply from one of his visitors, "We're not muggers." Sasuke replied still facing down to his hands, "Then what the hell do you want?" A second voice replied, "We felt your presence here in Asia. It was quite noticeable considering we were in China when we could feel you." Sasuke replied, "Feel…me?" The first voice then said, "Yes, we could feel your chi, it's something to be awe of. We could feel the negative energy exuding from your body. An angry rage like immediately drew us to you." Sasuke finally looked up as he was able to calm his hands, "Who are you people." He was presented by 2 people on the roof with him. They were dressed…differently, similarly to the costumes worn by the heroes of New York. One wore a white outfit with an exposed chest and a green mask covering half his face, the other was shirtless and without a mask but wearing martial artist bottoms.

The one in white stepped forward and said, "My name is Danny Rand, more commonly known as Iron Fist." The other one then spoke, "I am Shang Chi, master of all Kung Fu."

Sasuke replied, "Interesting introduction, but what exactly is it that you 2 kooks want?" Iron Fist replied to him, "It is our duty to seek out such angry and violent energy and extinguish it, power like that can destroy the world as we know it." Sasuke replied, "Are you saying you want to fight me?" Shang Chi stepped forward and said, "We know what you did to the Hand. We saw the carnage you left, you almost killed Elektra." Sasuke then said, "I was feeling particularly merciful. The others that attacked me weren't as lucky, considering they all tried to cut my head off." Iron Fist then said, "I'd like to resolve this peacefully, come with us, we can help you." Iron Fist extended his hand toward Sasuke. He looked at Iron Fist, then turned his head to Shang. "And just how the hell are you supposed to help me? Can you bring back my friends? Can you bring back my family?" Iron Fist replied, "Your friends, family? What happened to them? Who are you exactly?" Sasuke then said, "I'm not from this world of heroes and monsters and such, my world is now gone. Leave me, you people cannot help me and if you insist, then I will be forced to retaliate with violence." Shang Chi said to Iron Fist, "What do we do?" Iron Fist then said, "If he's adamant to refuse our offer then we have to use force against him. It's our duty to protect life, and he's taken a lot of it indiscriminately." Shang Chi replied, "Right…You're right Master Rand." Iron Fist stepped forward, "Don't call me that, it's so silly."

Iron Fist and Shang Chi stood Sasuke down and Sasuke then said, "I really don't want to fight right now ok?" Shang Chi replied, "I'm sorry, but we can't do that."

Sasuke then said, "As you wish then. Feel free to attack me if you wish."

Iron Fist held up his fist and soon it started to glow red and yellow with energy, _"He's focusing his chakra into his fist…" _Sasuke thought. Iron Fist brought back his fast to throw a punch as Shang Chi jumped forward and Iron Fist punched him in the sole of his feet to catapult him toward Sasuke with great speed.

Sasuke threw his own fist at Shang Chi's, colliding together with a flash of energy. "W-what is this!?" Shang Chi and Sasuke's fist remained pushing against another, "That was an interesting attack, now I'm going to attack you now."


	7. The Moon

"Look, I don't want to fight you 2 right now ok? Just leave me alone and I'll leave you alone." Sasuke said to Shang Chi as he and Sasuke were in a grapple and Iron Fist spectated their little spat. Shang Chi replied, "I've already told you, I cannot do that." Shang Chi broke the grapple and judo flipped Sasuke to the ground, Sasuke didn't let go of Shang Chi's arm, instead he pulled him down, throwing his face into the floor and putting him into an arm bar.

Sasuke nearly snapped his arm before Iron Fist brought a stomp down to Sasuke's face, but he relinquished his grapple hold and kicked off Shang Chi's side, sliding across the floor then flipping back to his feet. Iron Fist gave Shang Chi his hand and pulled him up, Shang Chi stepped forward again stretching his arm that Sasuke nearly broke, "That was my fault Danny, I was careless. I should've been careful." Iron Fist replied to him, "It's ok. Now we have a clue of what we're dealing with here." Shang Chi stepped forward in front of Iron Fist once again, it was apparent he was eager to trade blows with Sasuke once again but Iron Fist held his shoulder and said, "Shang, calm yourself. Getting angry will lead to mistakes, and considering we've seen what he can do to a compound full of trained ninjas and Elektra, mistakes are the last thing we can afford to make." Shang Chi nodded and said, "Yes. You're right. Ok then." Iron Fist stepped in front Shang and said, "We will both go at him together, we will see how he fares against the both of us. Do not strike with hesitance. We are going to put him down Shang." Shang nodded and said, "Ok."

"Are you 2 done talking yet? Have you decided to just leave me in peace?" Iron Fist recoiled back, "We've already told you 'No' we are not just going to leave you in peace, we've seen your 'peace' and it looks like a courtyard full of corpses." Sasuke shrugged and said, "They attacked me first, and where I'm from that's normal to kill your adversaries. I learned from early on not to show mercy to those who obviously wouldn't show it to you." Iron Fist raised his fists and said, "I've heard enough of you. I am coming at you now."

Iron Fist ran with incredible speed and was quickly upon Sasuke. He threw extremely fast, precise blows at Sasuke's vital areas, it was apparent he was playing for keeps. Sasuke was able to parry all of his blows and deliver a few of his own but it was obvious this man known as Iron Fist was no stranger to taking a punch.

Iron Fist threw an uppercut, Sasuke flipped back, kicking Iron Fist in face. As he fell backwards he grabbed Sasuke's ankles and threw him across the rooftop at Shang. Sasuke quickly recovered and tried to use the momentum to throw an elbow at Shang but he defended himself and delivered several body blows to Sasuke but he grabbed both of his wrists and gave him a knee to the chest then a quick strike to the face. Iron Fist was quickly upon him again with a powerful kick to his side from behind, Sasuke grabbed his leg and pulled it with great force to that Iron Fist would be catapulted forward into his fist, Iron Fist was thrown to the ground but Shang had recovered and grabbed the arm that Sasuke just punched Iron Fist with and elbowed him to the side then threw both his arms up and delivered a flurry of strikes to the chest and gut then elbowing him to the face and knocking him to the ground.

Shang pulled Iron Fist to his feet as Sasuke flipped back to his feet and soon began trading blows with both Shang and Iron Fist once, trading them blow for blow without backing down, even though he's facing 2 highly trained martial artist, Sasuke was able to push them back with his own martial style. Iron Fist and Shang parried Sasuke and then both delivered a powerful palm strike to his midsection sending him, sliding on his feels backward. Sasuke took a knee for moment, he spit up a little blood and spit it to the floor, standing up as he wiped his mouth. Sasuke then said, "Heh, that was an interesting warm up, you're certainly more knowledgeable in combat some other people I've faced, and I've faced some incredible Taijutsu masters." Shang then said, "Thank you for the compliment but that won't trick us into not fighting you." Sasuke then said, "I wasn't trying to at all. I was just trying to say I've had experience fighting. And now that experience is telling me to stop holding back and start using more…tricks." Sasuke straightened up and took a breath. He put his right foot and turned his midsection to the side, holding up his right hand, the back of his hand facing his 2 opponents. Now Sasuke was going to use the Leaf style, but Sasuke had originally planned to use the Leaf Style from the beginning but now things were all different, now…Sasuke was using the Sharingan.

Shang Chi paced a few steps from side to side behind Iron Fist, "What type of stance is that? I've never seen it before." Iron Fist replied, "I don't know, I've seen every martial art in the world but that's a new one to me." Shang then said, "Let me take him first. We have the upper hand; I know I can handle it." Iron Fist then said, "Alright, you go first but I'm going to be right behind you." Shang smiled and said, "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Shang ran at Sasuke with Iron Fist following behind him, Shang threw a powerful haymaker punch but as soon as it entered Sasuke's perimeter of defense it was too late for him. Sasuke had parried his punch and jerking him to right like a rag doll, but right behind him as one fluid motion Iron Fist had thrown a dropkick, things slowed down, Sasuke saw every motion, every muscle tensed in his body as his Sharingan focused to Shang and Iron Fist, Sasuke knew exactly what to do. He let go of Shang, used his other hand to grab onto Iron Fist's ankle and spun forward to kick Iron Fist into Shang still in mid-air. "Leaf Hot Wind!" Sasuke focused the chakra into his leg, and threw a powerful side swiping kick with so much force; fire enveloped his leg as he kicked both Iron Fist and Shang Chi into the floor, cracking the floor beneath them. Sasuke jumped and shouldered both of them through the floor into the building underneath them.

People screaming and running were the first thing Sasuke heard as he stood up and staggered off the hill of concrete and wood that they just crashed through. "Don't think for a minute we're done here yet." Iron Fist had stood up and rushed Sasuke before he could even see who it was, he delivered knee to the side of the face, stunning Sasuke. He held up his fist and focused his energy into, now glowing red he aimed to punch Sasuke in the face with the mass of focused energy in his hand, Sasuke read the energy with his Sharingan and knew that it was an attack he didn't want to be hit by, Sasuke was able to parry but Iron Fist was able strike once again, Sasuke grabbed his glowing fist to stop the punch, he soon learned that it was a bad idea as he heard something in his arm snap, incredible pain shot through his arm as Sasuke let a scream out as he kicked Iron Fist in the face, knocking him to the ground, he then flipped back all the way to the farthest wall. His arm was broken, _"Fuck, I was being careless. And fighting these 2 assholes when I feel like shit probably wasn't a good idea either. Any other day…" _ Iron Fist and Shang Chi had stepped through the mist created from the debris falling down from the roof. They were visibly hurt too but they weren't going to back down either.

Sasuke stood up and made it clear he was ready for them, Iron Fist and Shang obliged this unspoken invitation, Sasuke easily dodged their attacks with the knowledge given to him by his Sharingan and kicked both of them in the back of their heads, smashing them straight through the wall into the street. Iron Fist and Shang fell into a car, smashing it like cardboard they hit with so much force. Sasuke jumped down from the open hole in side of the building and slid down the outside wall, landing in the street, they had fallen several stories, and Sasuke's first impression was that he had killed them but they had begun stirring again and they had fallen of the sides of the cars they had fallen on. Shang fell to his knees and coughed up blood, Iron Fist didn't seem to look as bad, it was obvious to Sasuke that Iron Fist was the more powerful of the 2. Sasuke soon heard sirens quickly getting closer as the crowd dispersed to make room for the police cruisers now crowding the street. The police were crowding them but they weren't making a move, Sasuke figured whenever one of these costumes heroes are involved, the police stay out of it. _"They're just here to watch…well in that case I'll give them a show they won't forget." _Sasuke raised his broken arm and tightened his grip on it, he threw it and snapped it back into place with a loud pop, Sasuke let out of a scream of pain.

The pain was like fire shooting up from all over his body. He wanted to throw up he felt so sick, he was certainly not 100% when this fight began and he's even worse for wear now that he let this fight drag out as long as it has.

He soon heard a very loud whirring sound as a helicopter soon flew onto the scene shooting a spotlight at Sasuke, _"What the hell are they doing?" _ Since Sasuke will still ignorant of the customs of this dimension, he didn't know at the time that the helicopter had a camera crew in it that was simulcasting the fight live on all networks.

Back in New York, Kitty Pryde sat in the kitchen of the Jean Grey school, plastering the hole in the wall that Wolverine made when he attacked Sasuke. He overheard a breaking news bulletin of meta humans fighting in Japan. She ran to the television and saw Iron Fist and Shang Chi fighting Sasuke in the streets of Japan. "What…what the hell is this!?"

Back in Japan, Sasuke and his 2 opponents were still fighting each other in a cordoned off area of the street, parrying and delivering blows to one another, and some more effective than others. Sasuke was no stranger to injury and the only attack he was worried about was Iron Fist using the glowing fist technique he had used before. Sasuke then thought to himself, _"No more fooling around, I'm going to end this right now." _ Sasuke reached into his pocket and opened up a piece of paper with a summoning circle in it. He activated and the katana he stole from the Hand's compound appeared in his hand. "Now I've had enough. I'm going to kill you both if you don't leave now." Shang then said, "You're a fool if you think we're going to just let you go. Just how many do you think you hurt in that building that you caved in the roof to?" Sasuke replied, "Well those people wouldn't have been hurt were it not for you attacking me on said roof." Iron Fist replied, "No use arguing semantics here. We're going to finish this duel one way or another." Sasuke raised his sword, "I couldn't agree more." Sasuke attacked them first this time and aimed to take their heads off but they ducked and tried to attack Sasuke's open blind spot left by attacking them.

Things were again slowed down for Sasuke thanks to his powerful Sharingan and he was able jump back and dodges their initial strike. They continued their coordinated attack but Sasuke was one step ahead them, he blocked both their continuing strikes with the broad side of his sword stopping them mid-motion, he then grabbed both their arms and pulled them forward straight down into the ground, grabbing his katana out of the air and spun to deliver a killing blow but they were able to recoil and get away, Sasuke threw the katana at Shang Chi with such force that Shang caught the blade between his hands but not before being smashed into the side of a police cruiser, the door of the car caved in from the impact. Sasuke jumped forward to kick the sword forward, which would impale Shang through the skull but Iron Fist pushed him off course, throwing him into the ground, Sasuke retaliated by throwing 3 kunai knives into Iron Fist's chest.

He stepped back, "Where did he….get those?" Iron Fist dropped to a knee and spit up some blood. Sasuke pulled the katana from Shang's hands, who was still stuck in the caved door, unable to rescue his friend and teacher. Sasuke walked over to Iron Fist and said, "I told you I didn't want to fight, yet you forced me to defend myself…" Sasuke then smiled in the light of the spotlight from the helicopter as he raised his sword up to deliver the final blow, "It's a shame I didn't even use all my real abilities." Iron Fist looked up to him in surprise as Sasuke raised his sword up to deliver the final killing strike to Iron Fist as Shang Chi screamed for Sasuke to stop but he didn't heed Shang's pleads. Sasuke thrust the sword forward, time seemed to slow down, Iron Fist, or more appropriately, Danny Rand watched as the blade's edge came to his face, then he saw it recoil away as Sasuke started screaming in pain.

Sasuke dropped the sword to the ground with a metallic clang as he grabbed his shoulders in pain, "What the fuck is happening to me?!" Sasuke felt an excruciating yet familiar burning all throughout his skin. Sasuke bit his lip and fought through the pain that had accosted him out of nowhere and he picked the sword up again to kill Iron Fist in front of the crowd of onlookers.

"YOU WITH THE SWORD, LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPON AT ONCE AND PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!" Sasuke turned his head towards the ground, _"Seems the police finally got some stones." _The police force had corralled all civilians away from the away and he was stared down with a wall of law enforcement holding automatic rifles. Soon the voice on the P.A. came back, "STEP AWAY FROM IRON FIST AT ONCE AND WE WILL NOT OPEN FIRE ON YOU!" Sasuke tapped the back of the sword on his shoulder and snickered, "You cattle think I'm scared of you? Where I'm from people cowered in fear of me. You think you can intimidate me?" Sasuke stabbed his sword into the concrete, breaking it through like butter and leaving it standing there.

He walked over the wall of police officers with their weapons trained on him, "You weaklings don't know who you're dealing with." Sasuke raised his hands up. One of the police officers then said out loud, "What the hell is he doing?" Sasuke made a sequence of hand signs "_Fire Style: Lion's Breathe Jutsu!" _Sasuke inhaled and exhaled a wide gout of fire that enveloped the entire street and all the police cruisers, most ran away from the inferno or took refuge inside the trucks and cruisers. Sasuke looked on at what at he had done, but still remaining vigilant of his surroundings as Shang had freed himself and attacked Sasuke from behind. He kicked forward, attracting a piece of burning hot metal from one of the damaged cruisers, and parrying Shang's strike with his hand and stabbing him in the hand with the piping hot shrapnel with the bottom of his foot, Shang screamed in pain then Sasuke delivered a convincing left hook that knocked Shang to the ground.

He looked up at the helicopter still shining the light on him and thought to himself, _"I never wanted this. I never wanted to have some big violent fight in a street…they wanted this…not me! I'll give them what they want! I'll show them violence if they desire it so much!" _Sasuke looked down at one of the police cruisers trying to crawl away from Sasuke. He walked over to him and grabbed him by the leg and threw him like a ragdoll across the street into another cruiser. He then picked up his sword as he walked towards and raised the sword to kill him. The police officer pleaded for his life as Sasuke raised his sword and stabbed forward. For a split second though, a light passed across his eyes, but it wasn't the sun, it was the middle of the night. It was for a split second but he heard a voice, "Don't give in to the darkness. Fight your hatred. You can change into something better…let go of your vengeance!" Sasuke backed up from the police officer who was scared silly of him, "Who…who was that?" It wasn't until he said it out loud that he knew who said it, _"Are….Are you still with me, Naruto?" _Sasuke looked at the police officer he almost gutted, Shang and Iron Fist with serious injuries and his hands covered in their blood. He looked at them, then the helicopter, then his hands; trembling again and covered in blood. Without even wishing it…tears began to drip down Sasuke's face, "OH…Oh god…Oh god…What am I becoming!?"

"I'm so sorry…"

Sasuke grabbed his head and started shaking it violently to try to rid himself of the visions of the carnage he's wrought. "NOOOOOOO!" Sasuke threw down several smoke bombs he was saving in his pocket and escaped from that crowded street.

Sasuke appeared again miles away from the battle that he just fought. It was the harbor he was at now, he looked out at the moon and night sky, the breeze rustling his hair as he vomited into the ocean violently. Sasuke hung over the railing as he made his sword disappear in a cloud of smoke, then he slid down the cold pavement and wiped his mouth. Anyone walking by would've thought he was bum sitting out in the harbor with his head between his knees. _"What's wrong with me…? What was that feeling earlier?" _Sasuke thought back to the burning pain in his arms and shoulders which led throughout his whole body. He'd never felt something like that before and he knew that it was no injury he incurred fighting Iron Fist and Shang Chi. _"Naruto, are you watching me? Did you see what I was about to do and you had to stop me? You were always such a fool. I am a force of vengeance now…I can't just become something I'm not…that's something you never understood. You were so adamant in your own eyes you not once thought that this was how I really was." _ Sasuke felt pressure coming up his throat and turned around sticking his head through the bars of the guard rail to throw up again into the sea and turned back around to sit like a bum.

"What do I do know? Is my life even worth living anymore?" Sasuke looked at out the sea full of sharp jagged rocks, a fall from a good height would kill him were his head to smash against those rocks without trying to break his fall of defend himself. _"Perhaps…Perhaps I should take my own life. Maybe then I'll finally be at peace…living like this…I don't want to feel this pain anymore…" _ Sasuke looked around and saw a lookout area with telescopes, obviously for tourists, which overlooked the rocks and rushing waves, if someone jumped off headfirst, it would definitely do the trick.

Sasuke walked up the road and looked out at the sea from above the cliff; he was a few stories up now, perfect height. The perfect height to end it from. The perfect height to remove all pain in his world. His brother, mother, father, all his…well, the people that used to be his friends, were waiting for him, and finally Naruto was on the other side waiting for him. Suddenly such a long sleep didn't seem so bad, it even felt like Sasuke deserved the rest or at least like he deserved the rest.

Sasuke let the breeze his dirt covered and bloody face as he climbed over the guard rail and looked at the moon. It was full tonight, looked bright and beautiful now that the clouds weren't covering it, Sasuke thought back to the night he left Konoha. The moon was full just like this, he remembered it all now. It was rushing back to him like a flood, his flight away from Konoha, running away, and being chased by Naruto and the Konoha 5. After thinking about all the pain and suffering he caused the ninja world, he had killed several high ranking officials and politicians under his crusade of revenge. He became the most wanted criminal in the world and he just couldn't find out if he regretted it or not. That was the duality of Sasuke's psyche. He understood the evil and suffering he caused and he couldn't figure out if he felt bad, or felt remorse, or wanted forgiveness but he soon felt that he was beyond reproach, and beyond forgiveness. Forgiveness was more people much better than him, now the only thing he deserved is suffering and now death, for the things he's done.

As his mind raced he thought of Katherine Pryde again, she treated him with such kindness without hesitating and perhaps it would've been nice seeing her again but Sasuke perished the thought, she would've eventually seen the monster that he was deep inside and she would've forsook him, which she rightly should. "This world is better off without me. I'm incapable of doing nothing else but hurt and kill people…" Sasuke felt the familiar tears coming down now, "If my only choice is living like this, then I want nothing at all…" The moon reflected off his Sharingan eyes as he looked down and without he even noticing it, he smiled.

A cool rush of air filled his lungs as he hung forward looking straight down, then…

He let go.


	8. The Darkness

Annoying. Annoying. Annoying. The sound was so annoying. It was loud and boring into his skull. _"Is this…death? Is this what people hear when they die?" _ Along with the whirring mechanical noise was soft voices, kissing his ears with words Sasuke had so much trouble making out, he hoped it was somebody on the other side waiting for his arrival and Sasuke would finally know peace. He could feel their hands covering his body and lifting him, he didn't think the darkness before him would seem so comfortable. Sasuke felt the smile creep across his face as the sensation of touch cascaded across his chest, of course this state of euphoria didn't exactly last as he then heard the word, quite loud and clear this time around, "CLEAR!"

Sasuke jumped up completely losing his bearing and throwing up again over himself. His vision soon returned and he looked around, the soft quiet voices he heard in the darkness was the voices of the all the people from the Jean Gray school in New York. The X-Men had revived him. Sasuke said in between heaves, "H-h-h-how?" Logan had stepped forward toward him, "Well you didn't do such a good job of keeping a low profile. We saw what happened on the news. We also saw you almost gutting Iron Fist and killing cops, we were already almost in Japan by the time you had disappeared. We tracked you to that hill and saw you trying to…well…trying to kill yourself. You had already jumped by the time I had gotten close enough to grab you so Hellion shot you with a psionic wave to knock you into the water, of course who knew you'd need to breathe, so then we had to save you from drowning." Sasuke replied, "Hellion?" A young man walked forward, he was handsome, slim but hardened physique, "Uh that would be me. Hi there I'm called Hellion around here. I had to shoot you with an energy wave to save you, so sorry if I hurt you but I have to say I'm surprised that you're awake right now, the amount of force I used could've killed someone." Sasuke then replied, "You might give someone the idea that was your intention." Logan interrupted and said, "The Japanese government was not happy about what happened, neither were they happy with a mutant presence infiltrating their air space.

Sasuke then said, "What's your point?" Logan replied, "My point is I had to make a little white lie to explain our presence here." Sasuke replied, "So what did you tell them?" Logan replied, "I just said you're one of us and you were having a bad day and we were going to take you back to the States where you would be put to the American justice system." Sasuke then said, "And what will happen huh? They'll put me in some cage that I'll just break out of it." Logan chuckled and said, "Relax kid, we're not going to turn you in." Sasuke then said, "I don't understand, if you're not going to turn me in, why did you go to the trouble of going to get me?" Logan replied, "I'm not the one that decided to go, we had no intention of saving someone trying to kill himself, we just went, and figured out what to do at the bridge when we got to it."

"So if you didn't decide to go, who did?" Logan turned to the side and looked towards the far wall, Kitty Pryde leaned against the wall looking around for some reason to leave the room. Sasuke then said, "Is…is that true. Were you the one that wanted to go?" Kitty replied, "Well I saw what you were doing on TV, there's no way we could just step aside and ignore it." Sasuke nodded, "I see. I understand." Logan then said, "As I said, we're on our way back to New York, we'll be there soon. There you'll meet the star spangled monkey himself." Sasuke looked at him confused, "Monkey? What are you talking about?" Logan smiled and sat down on a seat attached to the wall, "You'll see for yourself." Sasuke looked at Hellion for some explanation but he just looked at Logan, then he looked at Kitty and she turned and walked out of the room.

Sasuke gave up and laid back down on the cot he was laying on.

Sasuke was able to find sleep for first time in a while. He was tired and could use the rest.

Sasuke was startled awake by the sound of them landing. Logan walked into the med bay alone and walked over to Sasuke, "Well, we've arrived. Welcome back to New York, kid." Sasuke replied, "I don't like being called that." Logan chuckled and replied, "Kid, when you're as old as me, you call everyone that." Sasuke looked at him puzzled, "So how old are you?" Logan replied, "Older than you kid, older than you." Logan helped Sasuke up off the bed and walked him out of the Blackbird. Sasuke looked at the inside of the X-Men's super-jet and was impressed, it must have been an incredible piece of technology by this universe's standards. Logan said, "He's waiting inside, he wants to speak with you and he's not going to leave until he does, so just be nice and talk to him." Sasuke stood away from Logan on his own and said, "Ok, now who the hell is it that I'm going to be talking to?" Logan chuckled again and rubbed his stubbly chin and said, "It's better to surprise you." Sasuke turned away from Logan and thought it over for a moment, _"I'm not going to avoid this. I owe them for…saving my life from myself." _Sasuke then said, "Fine let's get this over with."

Logan led him into the mansion and walked him into the mess hall of the mansion; it was giant, obviously tailored to being able to accommodate several hundred students. It was empty and the only light breaking through the tall windows and creeping across the tables. At the end of the main table, Sasuke saw a man waiting here for him. Logan and he walked up to him and Logan said aloud, "Well, here he is." The man turned around and Sasuke saw that he was tall, very muscular, more defined facial features. His eyes were blue and his hair was bright blonde. He wore a tailored jumpsuit, an insignia with the design of an eagle on his shoulder. He stepped forward to him.

"You are Sasuke Uchiha correct? Did I pronounce your name right?" Sasuke nodded in the affirmative. Logan then said, "Hey look I got actual work to do besides paying people courtesy visits. I'll talk you later on if you want to stick around Steve." Logan turned around and walked out of the mess hall, closing the 2 big double doors behind him. Sasuke then said, "So…who are you?" The man looked back at him and smiled and gestured at a table, "Please, have a seat with me." He didn't wait for Sasuke to answer and he pulled out a chair and sat in it, waiting patiently for Sasuke to sit down. He obliged and sat across the table from him. "Ok, now what?" Sasuke was starting to get impatient. He replied, "Ok, let's get this out and over with. My name is Steve Rogers and I'm someone that is in charge of a lot things and I'm 'in the know' about a lot of goings on in the government." He pulled out a crinkled manila folder and emptied the contents on the table; it was several papers and a picture of Sasuke while unconscious. He picked them up and asked, "What is this?" Steve replied, "I know that you're from another dimension. I also know that the dimension you're from was classified under the 'Z Initiative'…I know what happened, and I'm sorry it happened to you. Your world has not been the first to fall victim to the…plague. Now, what I want to talk to you about is your conduct during your trip to Japan. I know that you…killed an entire camp of Hand ninja, Hand ninja that at times are allies with the people I call 'friends' and the debacle with Iron Fist and Shang Chi in the streets of Tokyo certainly didn't go unnoticed either. You killed a lot of people in Japan. People with families, people you will have to answer for." Sasuke leaned forward in his seat, "So, what are you going to do to me huh? Are you going to try to kill me like them?" Sasuke pointed at the pictures of Iron Fist and Shang Chi on the table.

Steve replied, "No, I won't. Even though you've done…some terrible things, you're new in this world; you didn't know our customs and our way of life. We were negligent to properly assimilate you and teach you our ways, that's our fault and I apologize for that." Sasuke sneered and said, "Well look at that, I kill a few people and you apologize to me." Steve sighed and replied, "It was only proper to address the lax in our care of you. We should have been there for you, and now we have a big problem, what may fly as normal conduct in your world, certainly doesn't fly here." Sasuke replied, "Well I wasn't a very politically popular person either in my world, I was public enemy number one, most wanted man in the world." Steve nodded and said, "Is that so? Interesting. The more I hear from you, the more I wish to learn from you. That's all we ever wanted, was for you to give us the opportunity to learn from you, your customs, and your people. Our reports from the agents who rescued you from your dimension have showed up that it was normal for people to be able to…do the things you do, even though having the physiology of normal human beings, I couldn't begin to tell you the benefits that knowledge would have on our world."

Sasuke replied, "So you people just want to study me? Like some rat in a maze? Let me tell you something, I've lived that life before and I will not go back to living in a cage like some…fucking animal!" Sasuke stood up from his chair quickly but Steve quickly put up his hands and said, " Now now now, look that's not what I'm saying at all. Believe I know a thing or 2 about being a guinea pig, that's not what I'm proposing at all. All I'm asking is that you cooperate with us and help us understand your people's ways, and properly be processed into our dimension." Sasuke replied quickly, "In other words, bleed me for my people's secrets then put a leash on me so I can't leave?" Steve replied, "No, now look, it's obvious you have experiences that lead you to believe the contrary but I'm the type of man that when I tell you something, that's the way it is. I'm a man of honor and can be reasonable in the face of…well, recent events. We can work past this…you wouldn't seriously expect me to believe you don't regret what you did?"

Sasuke was apprehensive, he didn't know whether to believe him or not. He could talk the talk, and just looking at him was obvious he could walk the walk, he was the real deal. Sasuke replied, "I…I…have done many things that I regret. That I wish I could take back. There are people that I've hurt that now I'll never have the chance to reconcile with them, my chance of redemption is gone. I realize what I've done while I've been here, you may punish me however you see fit." Steve nodded and replied, "Well normally in this one, killing someone is a grave offense. Usually resulting in imprisonment for a long time, but the people I represent have discussed with me the importance you hold. So, there's a few offers on the table here. You come with me, and you help us understand your people's culture. You can come with me and not tell us anything but you will be under surveillance at all times. There's also just plain imprisonment, probably for the rest of your life barring the results of a trial against you." Sasuke then interrupted, "OR….I could leave right now and never be seen again." Steve replied, "I can't let you do that, Sasuke." Sasuke then said, "You're hardly in a position to 'let' me do anything." Steve inhaled and exhaled and then said, "I realize your abilities, but if you become hostile I will do what I have to do to neutralize you…" Sasuke continued, "Or…" Steve replied, "I've taken life too, son."

Sasuke recoiled for a moment and said, "Just…for example…what would you want to know from me? Who are the people you represent anyway?" Steve replied, "I represent a government agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., they're tasked with making sure all threats to this country are identified and neutralized. As for your other question we only wish to learn your ways." Sasuke replied, "Why Is that so important. The people of your dimension aren't even able to use the types of abilities I possess. My power was the result of years of study and training." Steve replied, "Training, so you weren't always like this?" Sasuke replied, "No, nobody in my dimension was born with this type of power, they were trained and honed their abilities to various levels of abilities that ranged from near gods to children playing in the sand." Steve replied, "Interesting."

Sasuke leaned forward and said, "You know, in my world people were scared of me but in this one, people actively seek conflict with me. Why is that?" Steve replied, "We haven't had someone like you before, we've made rescues before but those were usually just artifacts, never a fully living being capable of intelligent thought. You made waves, waves that were felt over a very long distance." Sasuke sat back in his chair, "There's a bigger catch, there has to be. I can tell, you're angry with me over the things that I did. What aren't you telling me?" Steve replied, "You're very perceptive. There is another catch involved with your amnesty from the crimes you've committed." Sasuke replied, "And what would that be?" Steve replied, "As you can see in those documents, you came through with a few things in your possession, one of those things a headband. What is the significance of the headband? You were clutching it like you'd die if you lost it, we had to heavily sedate you just to get it out of your hands." Sasuke puzzled for a moment and said, "It's the last remnant of a life that no longer exists. A life that…I wish were still here, but isn't due to my direct actions." Steve replied, "Your direct actions?" Sasuke replied, "Someone I…had a relationship with had gotten infected. I had to…end his life."

Steve looked away for a moment, obviously regretting asking him that question but he had to know, "So what is your decision?" Sasuke turned his head to him and said, "What are your conditions?" Steve Rogers pulled a pair of cuffs from his pocket. "I cuff your hands, and you come with me. To S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ" Sasuke stood up from the table again and said, "I will not be restrained like an animal. My pride will now allow such an affront." Steve replied, "I'm sorry, it's out of my hands. It has to be this way, if you leave this place without me you will be met with resistance. I didn't come alone. I don't want to start a fight with you, and I don't want to offend you, but please I have to ask you, will you allow me to cuff your hands?"

Sasuke walked over to the window overlooking the front yard of the property, Sasuke could see several trucks and cars bearing the same eagle insignia and people waiting outside wearing very conspicuous armor and holding some dangerous looking weapons. Sasuke turned back to him and said, "You know I'd kill them all and try to kill you as well." Steve replied, "I would be obligated to make sure that doesn't happen. I know my way around a battlefield." Sasuke looked away and back out the window. _"I could kill him right now. I could escape this place, and never come back to this place. I could…I could…" _ Sasuke was brought to his knees, the same panic attack and pain that had attacked him in Japan had accosted him once again. He tried to hold on to a chair to keep balanced but it slid out from under him and Sasuke fell to his knees again. Steve rushed to his side and held him up, "Hey son! What happened? Are you ok?" Sasuke tried to push him away, "Get off me, I'm fine…really…get away." Sasuke turned and tried to walk away but started heaving again and sweating a cold sweat. Steve propped him in a chair and pulled a chair up close to him, "Hey hey, look at me." He looked over Sasuke's face, "What's wrong, tell me?" Sasuke pushed his hand away, "I just don't feel well alright!? I don't know what's happening to me, I've been in pain ever since I got to Japan and all I want to do is hit something!" Sasuke lunged forward to attack Steve, pushing him off his seat and into a wall but Sasuke soon came under a heavy dizzy spell and lumbered back, using a table to support himself up.

Steve stepped forward to help him again, "Are you sick?" Steve motioned to help again but Sasuke swatted his hand away and said, "Get the fuck away from me! I know your kind, try to gain favor with your fake care and concern trying to honey me with sweet words and sympathy and then you strike without mercy! You get away from me before I…before I…" Sasuke heaved forward and spit blood out into his hand and fell to his knees again. As Sasuke lay on the ground trying to hold his guts in, "Get away from me before I kill you, you have no idea who you're dealing with do you!?" Sasuke tried to stand up again and motioned to attack Steve again but in his state of weakness he couldn't even stand up by himself.

Steve then said, "Please let me get you some help, you're in terrible condition." Sasuke replied, "NO! Get away" Sasuke tried to get away but tripped over himself and fell flat to the floor. _"No…no why is this happening to me? I don't want this! I just want to get away from this place…away from everything and everyone!" _ Sasuke had his face to the ground and he didn't even notice the tears that were streaming down his face. He felt so embarrassed and humiliated writhing on the floor like a whimpering fool. Steve put his arm Sasuke and lifted him up and said, "Look, please trust me. I'm going to get you some help. I've never seen someone in such bad condition before, I'm going to help you, no strings attached, no conditions."

Sasuke replied, "If you're lying to me, I will make you sorry." Steve then said, "Don't worry, I always keep my promises, not a complaint yet." Sasuke then said, "Fine, do as you wish…" Steve walked him out of the mess hall and walked him through the main foyer where Kitty Pryde waited for him, "Sasuke? Cap, what happened to him, did you do this to him?" Steve replied, "No Miss Pryde, I did not lay a finger on him. He's sick, really sick. I'm taking him to the helicarrier for treatment." She stepped aside and let Steve and Sasuke go past her, his eyes met hers as if there was something he wanted to say, but no words left Sasuke's mouth.

Sasuke found himself sitting in the back of a car with Steve Rogers, his dizziness making him black out several times. He saw the back of the car, then he saw black. Then he saw himself inside what seemed like a helicopter, then black again. Then he found himself on a gurney with people in white surrounding him, his ears were ringing but he could see them yelling something as they put an oxygen mask over his face. The bright light in his eyes soon went dark as his eyes closed for the final time.

Steve Rogers waited outside Sasuke's room, making sure nobody else had entrance. A doctor walked up to him and said, "Hello Captain." Steve replied without turning his head towards him, "I don't go by that moniker anymore." The doctor replied, "Sometimes we can't escape our original titles." Steve replied, "You're one to be saying that, you're only here on a probationary basis because of your experience with dimensions that have 'Z' classification." The doctor replied, "Well we all have our special talents and what we're good at, which is why Hill asked you to deal with our young friend in there." Steve finally turned to face him and said, "Ok. Doctor Morbius, do you have the initial prognosis of Sasuke Uchiha." Doctor Michael Morbius, the living vampire, someone who started out his reputation as a public enemy but now one of those biggest names in modern science and someone who has proved an invaluable help to all parties dedicated to studying the zombie plague that is present in certain dimensions.

Morbius led Steve Rogers into an elevator and they went up a level and walked into a lab that overlooked the hospital area. Steve looked into a monitor that had a camera feed into Sasuke's room, he was laying down, unconscious and an oxygen mask on his face. Steve stood up straight and said, "Well then, give it to me straight, what are we looking at here?" Morbius sat at his workbench and said, "Well, as straight as I could make it…I couldn't tell you what's happening with him. I did a battery of tests on him. He's definitely not infected with the zombie virus. He's also came back negative with any modern diseases, he's healthy, perfect actually. His physiology is amazing, I would dare say more than your own. We did several scans and it seems…well…his body is trying to attack itself. This weird energy that he can manipulate, 'chakra' he calls it. It's somehow burning and damaging his insides and at the same time, repairing them." Morbius continued, "It's a wonder of science, I've never seen anything like it and what's even more interesting is that where he's from, everyone is like this. The combat implications and the medical implications of learning about this property are shattering."

Steve then said, "So what happens now?" Morbius then said, "I wish I knew honestly. I don't know how to treat this sort of injury. The most I can do is keep him comfortable and make sure that his internal injuries don't get too bad before they start healing again. It's like his body is rebelling against itself, one side is going on, another going a different way." Steve then said, "I talked to Agent Hill, so far we're just going to observe and report anything that happens to him. Keep an eye on him as much as you can and when he's able to talk, let me know. There are still things I'd like to talk to him about." Morbius started looking into some research papers without even looking at Steve anymore, "Yeah, ok. Now leave me to my work."

Elsewhere in another area of New York, a meeting of certain minds is taking place. A meeting that will bare repercussions of a great magnitude. Norman Osborne and Martin Li met in front of what looked like a regular corner store but it was closed. Norman said aloud, "This is his secret base? How the mighty have fallen." Li replied, "You're one to talk." Norman Osborne grimaced with anger at that remark and then replied, "The same could be said for you." Li then said, "Ok, it's time. Let's enter." Norman Osborne and Martin Li walked into the deserted corner store and walked up to the counter, the man tending the counter didn't even look up, he just seemed to looking down and not aware of anything around him. Li led Norman around the counter and walked into the back room which led to a flight of stairs going straight down into darkness.

"Yeah that's not creepy at all," said Norman. He and Martin walked down the stairs, as the concrete walls to each side soon turned into metal side panning, they noticed that they had come to a large chrome door. There was a large keypad with a screen on the wall adjacent to it, "So he built a lab down here?" Martin replied, "Yes, he's been down here for some while now, me and other investors have been front rolling his operation because his research is worth a lot of money." Martin walked over to the panel and pressed his thumb to it, "At least he was nice enough to put my fingerprint in his computer as a key. Me and him and become pretty good friends." Martin walked back to Norman's side and the giant chrome door opened. Inside was a sprawling laboratory filled with expensive machinery and giant glass tanks lining the wall. Norman and Martin were greeted by their host finally. "Ahhh, Mr. Li how nice to always see you. And Mr. Osborne, it's an honor to meet you." Martin walked over to a work bench covered with important looking test tubes and computers and opened his coat, dropping a small case on it. "So is that what I think it is?" Martin replied, "Yes, I'd like to take a look at it and see if there's anything we can do with it." Their host walked over the case and before opening it he said, "If it's anything like what happened in Japan, this is going to be my greatest experiment." Norman injected himself into the conversation, "Miles Warren…" He replied, "Please, I'm used to just being the Jackal these days." The Jackal turned to him and waved around his cybernetic prosthesis arms and legs, "After the Queen…punished me, you know getting used to these arms and legs haven't been easy. My research calms me down and sometimes helps me forget what happened to me. So I'm glad that you've given me this gift."

Norman replied, "I expect the highest quality work, better than the clones of Spider-Man, I want it to be a perfect reproduction." Jackal replied, "Are you sure you want it perfect? If it turns out as powerful as the subject in Japan it could turn out to be a problem. " Norman replied, "Sasuke's power is something of great interest to me and my business partners. I want it for myself." Jackal nodded and walked over to the case that Martin left on the table, "This is it huh?" Martin nodded in the affirmative as Jackal opened the case. "Ahhhh…" Jackal picked up a microscope and a pair of tweezers from his work table, "Here we go…" Jackal set the contents of the case on the table; the headband Sasuke wanted to find, the headband with a hole burned into the middle, the headband of Naruto. Jackal set it on the table and looked through his microscope, digging the tweezers into the mesh material of the headband.

"Ahah! I got it!" The Jackal exclaimed. Norman Osborne replied, "Is it satisfactory?" The Jackal replied, "More than satisfactory, exactly what I need for proper replication and cloning. It will be a perfect clone, no difference at all to the original, and best of all we can mold him into whatever we wish him to be without much trouble I don't think."

The Jackal laid it onto a petri dish and put into a small glass case for study, The Jackal had all he needed, and he put the petri dish holding the bright blonde strand of hair into a computer for gene research.

"_I can't take it anymore. I can't take it anymore. I can't take it anymore. I can't take it anymore. I can't take it anymore. I can't take it anymore. I can't take it anymore. I can't take It anymore! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" _It was the only thing Sasuke could think of anymore. The more Sasuke thought about it, the more he hurt. _"Why is this happening to me? I want it to stop; I just want it to end!" _In the conscious world, Sasuke lay without motion in his room on the helicarrier but in his mind, he was more active than anyone could imagine. Sasuke looked on into the mirror of his soul and just saw big cracks sprawling everywhere. His worst memories on parade through his mind. _"I don't want this…" _

"_**Whoever wants this pain?" **_

"_Huh!? Who is that? What is going on?" _

"_**You don't have to worry about that. You already know who I am, Sasuke. I know you very well also." **_

"_Why don't you show yourself?" _

"_**Don't you see Sasuke? I'm in front of you, behind you, to the sides of you. I've always been there, watching you…protecting your heart…loving you in the way that you always wanted to be loved. I will always be there for you." **_

"_You're always there for me!? How could you say that? Look at what I going through now…look at what I'm becoming. At what I've become. I'm a monster." _The voice from the darkness became silent for a moment, _"Well? Have you left me now?" _

"_**It's ok Sasuke. You're not alone, you're angry. That anger has turned you into something that you must foster. It's ok to feel the anger, feel me with you. I'm here with you. You loved it didn't you, killing those so-called ninjas. Hurting all those people in the streets. Killing all those people in our own dimension, you've allowed me to grow inside you to a point where my influence has bled over to a part of you where you can't avoid it. It's becoming who you are." **_

"_Enough with the talking in the riddles! Show yourself!" _

"_**Look down." **_

Sasuke felt his eyes opening, the bright lights of the ceiling blinding him, Sasuke grabs a clipboard that happened to be next to his bed and threw it at the light, blasting them out. Sasuke sat in the darkness for moment and sat up, the pain was gone now. "Look down…" Sasuke thought back to the voice in the back of his head, his eyes adjusted and he looked down to his hands. "No…no what's happening!?" Sasuke watched as his skin started to glow and turn black, he raised his white t-shirt and saw the darkness creeping up his skin. He jumped off the bed and ran straight into the wall due to it being so dark in the room, it was pitch black. He fumbled around for a moment until he stumbled into the bathroom and clicked on the light. He heaved into the sink and caught his breathe for a moment. "No….no…"

Sasuke looked up and saw the long, silver hair. The blackened skin, and the black sclera with yellow pupils. He saw the fangs glaring back at him.

He was looking at himself.


	9. SHIELD

"What the hell is happening to me?" Sasuke said as he looked over his appearance. Sasuke's first thought was if the curse mark had returned, he looked at his shoulder in the mirror, it was gone. He had transformed for the first time in years without a curse mark, what this meant; Sasuke had no idea. _"How did this happen to me? What is this? How did I change again?" _ Sasuke's thoughts were cut short when he heard several footsteps rushing towards the room hurriedly; he figured the racket he made from knocking the lights out alerted the guards. Sasuke didn't want to be there, and soon thoughts came to his head that were foreign, but natural to him, like an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time. He wanted to leave, and he was willing to hurt people to leave.

Sasuke clicked the bathroom light off and hid. Seconds later, several guards wearing armor and holding automatic weaponry burst into the room. "Shit its dark in here," one of the soldiers said.

"The lights have been knocked out, what the fuck did this guy do in here?" The soldiers clicked on the flashlights of their rifles and looked around the room, the 4 soldiers were in a tight formation, forming a 4 angled circle where they could see anything coming at them from any direction. Sadly, the only thing unguarded was the space between the 4 of them, which Sasuke took advantage of. He appeared in the middle of their formation, turning the first soldier around and delivering a right hook that took him off his feet, then taking the rifle off the next one and slamming the soldier behind him in the face with it, then delivering a powerful swiping kick to the soldier he just took the rifle from. The last soldier tried to back away but Sasuke picked him and choke slammed him into the ground.

Sasuke looked at his clawed hands, _"This feeling…this power. It feels amazing; I forgot how good it felt. I forgot how it feels to completely overpower my enemies and destroy them." _ A sickly smile crept across his face. Sasuke opened the door and walked out.

Dr. Morbius had seen what happened through the camera feed in the hospital room. The first thing he did was put the entire base on alert, all blast doors started closing around Sasuke and all the lights turned to an emergency red color as an alarm blared down the hall. Sasuke tried to turn around to run away from the blast doors closing but one closed down in front of him and behind him, he was trapped. A voice blared from the loud speaker, "You are trapped, drop down to the ground with your hands on your head!"

Sasuke yelled back, "Let me out!" The loudspeaker was silent now. Sasuke looked around the squared off room, the doors had to be several feet think, Sasuke could try to break through but he didn't want to expend the needed chakra. After examining the wall he pulled open one of the panels which opened into a maintenance shaft. He crawled into it and followed it in the direction he was originally going. After crawling through for what seemed like forever, he came to a ladder leading straight up that read "EMERGENCY EXIT"

Sasuke climbed up the ladder for several stories, he came to a hatch. He twisted it open and a gust of wind hit him in the face. Sasuke pulled himself out and steadied himself to see that he was now on top of the helicarrier. _"Where the hell am I?" _

"You're lucky. When the helicarrier goes into red alert it immediately becomes stationary. If you came out here when the helicarrier was in motion, you would've been blown off."

Sasuke turned around and saw the man who called himself Steve Rogers standing before him. "So you didn't come with a bunch of guys holding guns?"

Steve replied, "No. I saw how you handled my best men in that hospital room. I came here to try to reason with you again. What happened to your face and your hair, what brought about this transformation?"

"You don't need to worry about that. I am only becoming an outer reflection of what I am on the inside, and what I am on the inside is angry. I suggest you stop trying to be my friend because it really won't happen and tell me how to get off this thing," Sasuke replied.

Steve reached around his back and pulled from a holster, a giant circular shield with alternating circles of red and white and a giant star in the middle. "I can't do that son. I can't let you leave, if I have to, I will use physical force against you."

Sasuke replied, "Does it really matter that much that you'll risk your life to stop me?"

Steve nodded in the affirmative, Sasuke's eyes turned to the ground they stood for a moment. "What's the matter? Are you going to come back with me?"

Sasuke replied, "No. I just had a case of déjà vu. I've had this happen to me before."

"How did it end?"

Sasuke said as his gaze returned to Steve, "With me walking away."

Sasuke made a hand sign quick as a flash, "Fireball Jutsu." Sasuke spit out a giant fireball at Steve so quickly he couldn't avoid it, it exploded on him instantly. Sasuke turned to walk away but he was surprised to see Steve jumping through the flames, protected by his shield. He tried to use his shield as a battering ram but Sasuke quickly vaulted over him and covered ground to take him from behind. Steve protected from his strike, using his shield to roll his arm away, opening Sasuke up for an attack. Steve attempted a follow through uppercut but Sasuke swatted it away with his free hand, bringing back his other one and giving Steve a left hook to the face, knocking him backward.

Steve made a backflip and ran at Sasuke again, throwing another punch and he parrying it. Steve spun around using momentum to try to hit Sasuke with the shield but he ducked below the shield but not seeing the knee that Steve brought across his face. Sasuke was knocked back but regained his composure quickly. Steve tried to ram into him again with the shield from the closer proximity and connected with Sasuke. He dug in a pushed back, stuck in a pushing match against Steve Rogers. "Stop this Sasuke, we can go back inside and work it out and everything will be fine!"

Everything will NOT be fine. You don't get it, nobody gets it. I have nothing and nobody now, everything I know is gone now and you people think you can be friends with me? Get real! You people started attacking me first by my recount!"

Sasuke started exerting more force, starting to push Steve back. Steve was knocked off his footing and fell back; Sasuke jumped on him started pounding him repeatedly. "I just want to be left to myself! I don't need anyone's help!" Sasuke continued pounding him until Steve flipped him over and threw him across the floor. Sasuke got to his feet and made another hand sign "Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke circled Steve launching blast after blast trying to score a direct hit but Steve would either dodge them or defend against them with his shield. Sasuke began to run straight for him launching several fireballs at him, once again being defended against by Steve's shield. Steve tried to strike Sasuke with the shield but vaulted over him and delivered a backhand to his mid-section, knocking him off balance. "Leaf Hurricane!"

Sasuke focused his chakra into his leg and swung a powerful kick but connected with the shield instead of his intended target. Steve went flying back several meters away now, making considerable distance between Sasuke and Steve. "I have to say I'm quite impressed, not many people get as many licks on me as you have."

"I'm not exactly like many other people." Sasuke replied.

"_How interesting an adversary he is. It's obvious he's seen considerable combat before, and he's deadly with that shield. A good hit from that thing would knock my head off. That shield is a big bother; it must be made of some incredible material. I'll have to find some way to break it." _ Sasuke's mind was going a mile a minute, he enjoyed the fight.

He enjoyed the fight a lot more than he normally would because of how good his opponent was. He knew to win he would have to stop holding back and use his real power. He took a knee and made another few hand signs and held his left hand out.

"What is he doing over there?" Steve said to himself as he ran towards Sasuke.

Steve stopped short when he saw the burst of light explode from Sasuke's hand. Shots of electricity covered the entire roof of the helicarrier with Sasuke at the center. _"For him I'll use Chidori, this will really test his skills…" _A sick grin snaked across Sasuke's face. Sasuke took off running at top speed.

"Whoa!" Steve screamed as Sasuke approached him with incredible speed, from his perspective he saw a bright light that rapidly got bigger and bigger the closer it got. Steve raised his shield just in time as the bright light collided with him.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke thrust the mass of energy forward and into the shield. A huge shockwave unfurled over the helicarrier as electric bolts shot across the surface they were standing on. Sasuke pushed forward but Steve would not budge and the shield would not break. The Chidori had dissipated as Sasuke was shocked to see not even a scratch on the shield. Steve took the opportunity to strike Sasuke across the face with the shield and slammed him down to the ground with it. "Now are you done?"

"Not even close."

Sasuke flipped upwards, hitting Steve in the face. He then flipped over, drop kicking him in the face, then throwing arm around Steve's head and guiding it straight down into the ground. Sasuke kicked him over and started kicking him in the side, "Now do you see just what you're messing with?" Sasuke repeatedly kicked and stomped Steve's chest and face, knocking him back down to the ground if he tried to get up. Sasuke held down his arm holding the shield and took the shield away, "I have to say this is an excellent work of craftsmanship. I've never seen anything like it. To take the brunt of my Chidori and not even have a scratch…" Sasuke threw it to the side and made another hand sign. His Katana appeared in his hand in a cloud of smoke," Now. You die." Sasuke raised his sword to deliver the final blow.

"COMING THROUGH"

"Huh?" Sasuke said before being tackled from the side by something extremely fast, extremely heavy, and extremely red. Sasuke yelled, "Get off me!" They were moving so fast Sasuke couldn't really see what had tackled him, but what Sasuke could feel though were the several broken ribs and possibly broke arm from the initial tackle. They traveled away from the helicarrier and straight down into what looked like a dense forest. His attacker let go and Sasuke slammed into a tree.

"Ahh shit!..."

Sasuke fell down to the ground and got to his feet. He held his arm in place straightened himself against the tree he just fell into. _"What the hell was that?" _

His question would soon be answered as something slammed into the ground in front of him. Something made a flashy entrance indeed as Sasuke stepped forward and saw someone standing in the dustup of their entry.

"I have to stay I'm very surprised you were actually able to get the upper hand in a fight with Captain America."

"Captain America?"

"Sorry, he doesn't really go by that name anymore. I'm talking about Steve."

The dust was gone now and now stood Sasuke's assailant. A man clad in bright orange and red armor from head to toe. He had a giant light in his chest and several pulsating lights in his palms.

"I'm telling you know I'm not interested in fighting. Let's not go through this song and dance ok? Just bring yourself in."

"You've got to be kidding. You attacked me first and you decide after all you're not going to follow through. Back in my world if you attack someone, you intend to kill them."

"Well around these parts, you have to be an example. There's a line that must be set. A line I don't cross, a line Steve doesn't cross. A line that you don't respect nor consider so I have to use force against you."

"Don't try to preach some sanctimonious bullshit to me!"

"No. I'm not here to preach to you. I'm here to put you down for the count."

"You're more than welcome to try."

Iron Man rushed at Sasuke at incredible speed, were Sasuke at 100 percent, he could've dodged it. But the injury to his arm and his side hindered him and was unable to dodge completely out of the way, with Iron Man clipping him on the broken arm again. Sasuke cried in pain as he rolled across the floor away from Iron Man.

Iron Man raised his arms and the glowing pads on his hands started to grow more brightly and then blasts of energy shot from them. Sasuke dodged around very sluggishly, narrowly avoiding every blast, trees and rocks being blasted to bits around him. Sasuke summoned his katana and vanished in a cloud of smoke and reappeared behind Iron Man, after channeling Chidori into the sword he swiped at Iron Man hoping to deliver a vital blow, but the armor was harder than he originally thought and he only slightly damaged his arms as Iron Man raised them to block his blow.

Iron Man kicked forward, connecting with Sasuke's midsection, sending him flying through some brush and down a ditch into a small pond.

"_Fuck. This is just ridiculous…" _

Sasuke tried to gauge how hurt he was, there was bruising on his ribs and his arm had to be broken in several places, he'd be unable snap it back into place. He stumbled to his feet after coughing up some blood from his internal injuries. This man in armor calling himself "Iron Man" was definitely giving it his all and wasn't taking chances, he was already so hurt and he only did some surface damage to his armor.

Iron Man rocketed through the sky and straight down appearing in front of Sasuke in the pond.

"Now are you considering giving up and coming back with me?" Iron Man said with a hint of cockiness to his voice.

"Not a chance. I'm just catching my stride…"

Sasuke threw a smoke bomb at his feet hoping to blind him.

"Nice try but my visual computer systems make finding you child's play."

Iron Man grabbed Sasuke through the smoke by his neck, holding him up with ease.

"Game over, kid."

Sasuke let out a chuckle, "I wouldn't be so sure." He exploded into a cloud of smoke and Iron Man saw he was holding a tree branch in his hand.

"Wha-What the hell?"

Iron Man used his detection systems to see Sasuke in the air above him.

"Those electronics are interesting. Let's see what happens when I fry them!"

Sasuke made a hand sign with his good hand and created Chidori in his hand.

"Hah, that old trick? I figured out how to deal with that years ago!"

"We'll see!"

Sasuke used Chidori Spear into the water pond, shocking Iron Man with incredible voltage.

"What the hell!? My insulation modules aren't working? What type of energy is this?"

Iron Man fell to his knees, Sasuke dropped to the ground and rushed Iron Man, drop kicking him in the face to knock him back.

"Chidori!"

Sasuke generated Chidori in his hand and thrust it forward into Iron Man's chest. A shockwave blasted through the forest knocking down several trees, then bolts of lightning exploded from Iron Man's chest as he exploded, sending him flying into a rock cliff. Sasuke caught his breathe and spit out some more blood from his mouth.

Iron Man stood stationary with electricity bouncing all over his body.

"Didn't expect that did you?" Sasuke said to himself.

Sasuke motioned to turn around but ducked to the ground quickly to avoid the giant circular projectile. It stuck into the tree and Sasuke jumped back up to see it was Steve Roger's shield.

"I'm not one to go down in the first round."

Steve Rogers walked through the brush with what seemed like a parachute dragging behind his back. His face had some cuts and bruises on it but his chiseled face wasn't the worse for wear.

"I guess I'm going to have to try harder," Sasuke said with a smirk.

Steve turned his head and saw Iron Man stuck in a rock face, he immediately ran over to him, completely ignoring Sasuke.

"Tony? Tony! Tony wake up!" Steve pulled him off the rock and sat him down, after a few minutes the lights on his armor fluttered back on. "Tony, how are you doing man?" Steve asked.

"I could be better. I don't know what the hell he hit me with, I thought it was just regular electric attack but my insulation didn't protect against it at all. Like it wasn't electricity but a different type of energy…"

"I think we should worry about the current situation than trying to make a science project out of it," Steve replied. He helped him and stood him straight. "How are you? Think you can still move?"

"I'll be fine. I've taken bigger knocks than that, one or two or those from you if I remember correctly."

They both stepped forward facing down Sasuke, who still had a broken arm and damaged ribs.

"Tony, think we can get away with that old trick we used to do?"

"I don't know Steve, let's give it a try, but I don't have much energy left in the suit, he drained a lot of energy out of the suit."

"We're only going to get one shot at this but he's hurt too, most out of all of us."

Steve pulled his shield out of the rock it was wedged in and rushed forward toward Sasuke. He threw the shield at Sasuke. He was able to dodge it but pain sprang through his body through his mid-section. Steve threw a punch at Sasuke but he parried it with his free hand but was unable to defend himself from Steve's strike to his mid-section which make Sasuke scream out in pain. Sasuke pulled back his good arm and channeled chakra through it and punched Steve in the face which made him step back but not put him down.

Behind Sasuke, Steve's shield bounced off a tree and came right back. Sasuke didn't see the shield in time and was hit in the back, Sasuke arched back in surprise.

"I'm…going to…kill you!"

"Not today!"

Steve dodged out of the way and now in view Sasuke saw Iron Man with a giant shining light in his chest.

"Activate: UNI-BEAM!"

A giant beam of energy shot from his chest and hit Sasuke square. He was blown back into another tree, knocking it down and hitting the tree behind him. Iron Man glided over on the rocket boosters on his feet next to Steve.

"Think that put him down?"

"How much energy did you charge? That could've killed him!"

"Well I wasn't exactly thinking about that at the time."

Steve and Iron Man made their way to the tree where Sasuke landed. A large gust of wind of wind stopped them.

"Steve, what the hell is that!?"

"Shit if I know!"

A bright purple figure started to appear through the smoke. Then another bright light shot into the sky.

"Look out!"

Steve pushed Iron Man away and jumped back. A giant flaming sword slammed into the ground between them. The dust had settled and the flaming sword disappeared into the air. Steve and Tony then saw Sasuke, surrounding by a cage of purple, flaming energy. It started to grow around him creating a giant skeleton, and then shrouded itself with a cloak of purple chakra only leaving 2 bright yellow eyes.

"This is the ultimate defense, the ultimate shield and sword. My Susano'o," Sasuke said. He continued, "Now, I'm going to end this once and for-"

Sasuke fell to the ground again. The beam that Iron Man shot him with defended against by Susano'o but the impact damaged his mid-section even more, Sasuke spat up more blood. He was bleeding internally and his chakra was draining faster than ever now that he had used Susano'o. _"Shit. Not now. Come on I can keep going, this pain means nothing!" _

Sasuke sat up on his knees. Susano'o dissipated from around Sasuke and left Sasuke defenseless once again. Sasuke looked at his hands, "What's happening?" The darkness was leaving his skin, coiling back under his skin. He felt his hair return back to proper length and his skin was normal once again.

"What the hell happened to him, he just turned back to normal?"

"I don't know, but I think he's down for the count. He's not moving anymore."

Iron Man and Steve Rogers started making their way to Sasuke.

"No. Stay back. Stay away from me!"

"Sasuke we're not your enemies, please…"

Steve tried once again to reason with him but Sasuke wasn't going to have it.

"_If you won't back away then I'll to make sure you never come before me again! Amaterasu!" _Sasuke activated the Mangekyou Sharingan once again cast his gaze upon Iron Man, setting him ablaze in black fire. He screamed in surprise and tried to brush the flames on but they were not leaving his armor. He fell to the ground writhing around, his armor starting to bubble away.

"Get it off me! Get if off! IT'S BURNING THROUGH THE ARMOR!"

Steve rushed to his side but Sasuke stopped him.

"If you touch him, you'll burn as well."

"Sasuke! Please stop this!"

"No. I will show you my power!"

"Sasuke stop this. You have nothing to prove, you win ok! YOU WIN! Please don't kill him, you can stop this. You can stop this violence and death, it doesn't have to be this way."

Sasuke thought about it for moment. What Steve said, it reminded him of someone. Someone that said something similar once. He stood up and gazed upon Amaterasu, making it disappear. Most of the armor had bubbled away, leaving a man underneath, Sasuke figured this person was the one known as "Tony" he didn't look like much without that armor on. Steve rushed to his side and made sure that Tony was alright, thankfully the Amaterasu hadn't touched his skin.

"Thank you Sasuke-"

Steve turned his head and Sasuke was gone. He had taken the opportunity to escape. Steve considered giving chase but Tony needed help first.

Sasuke ran and jumped through the trees, trying to hold his side but he was in bad shape. He bemoaned himself being as careless as letting his guard down the way he did. The trees broke and Sasuke found himself on a paved road. Sasuke turned at the sound of a horn beeping and jumping to the side as a truck swerved around him. Sasuke fell to the ground, he felt so dizzy. He saw the truck stop short and back up towards him.

"No…leave me…" Sasuke said weakly to himself.

The last thing he saw before he passed out was the pair of boots of the person who got out of the truck.


	10. Snow

"_A man that covered himself in metal, a man with an unbreakable shield…I've met some characters in my life but it wasn't until I came to this world that I realized just how different we are." _

Sasuke's eyes opened up to see a ceiling fan spinning over him. He was in a bed; that much he could ascertain. He looked around and saw an open window and some cabinets with medical equipment in them. The walls were wooden and there were was nobody in the small room with him. "Hello? Is anyone there?" Sasuke squeaked out. Nobody answered. Sasuke sat up in the bed, he was wearing a white shirt, underneath it, his mid-section had been covered and bandaged and his arm was wrapped up with a splint on the side. Somebody had helped him, but who?

Sasuke remembered someone had gotten out of the truck that almost hit him. He looked around and pulled himself off the bed, his pants had been changed as well, and there were slippers on his feet. He walked to the window; it was just a 1 story building. He saw a few people outside, going about their lives. It was a very small town from the looks of it. A few vehicles on the road and what seemed to be shops and homes. _"It almost reminds me of…Konoha." _

"Glad to see the doc was able to patch you up. You were in bad condition."

Sasuke spun around and saw a woman standing in the door way. She had dark red hair and freckles. She had blue eyes and wore a plaid jacket with the sleeves rolled up and jeans, and she was wearing the same boots Sasuke saw before he passed out.

"You were the one that saved me?"

"Yes, I found you on the road after almost turning you into a street pizza."

"Where am I?"

"Well you're in Canada."

"Canada?"

Sasuke pulled the chair out of the desk that was next to the window and sat down. She walked over and sat down on the bed.

"Don't you know where Canada is?"

"Uh, I guess not…"

"Well that's ok, most of the time I don't know where I am either."

She giggled and Sasuke felt…a sense of peace. Something he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Thank you for helping me…"

She looked right in his eyes, "So, what happened to you? You were in pretty bad shape. We only have a small clinic here so we did what we could, the doctor suggested we take you to the city but you were saying, 'no hospitals' in your sleep."

"I uh…had an accident."

"An accident? We don't have many accidents like that around here," The woman said. She smiled and asked, "What's your name?"

"My name is Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha."

"Sasuke? That's an interesting name. Don't hear fancy sounding words like that around here," She chuckled and smiled again.

"What's your name?"

"Oh, I forgot my manners," She stood and held out her hand to him, "My name is Shelley, Shelley Piers." Sasuke looked at her hand for a moment, then reached out and shook her hand with his good hand.

"It's nice to meet you Shelley. Thanks again for saving me…If you ever need anything, let me know. I think it'd be only fair compensation for your help."

"I figure that's the only compensation we'd get. There was no ID or money on you. Are you on the run from the law or something?"

"Not really, but they're chasing me just to chase me."

Shelley laughed again and said, "You're funny." Sasuke didn't want to correct her and say that he wasn't joking. He didn't want to involve her in any uneccessary trouble. An air of silence now was over the room, Sasuke just sat there unsure of what to say to this person and Shelley just looked at him with a small smile on her face.

"So where is the doctor that helped me?"

"I don't know she left a while ago. She's only in the office a few days a week. I'm sure you'll meet her eventually."

"She just helped me for free?"

"No no no, I paid her."

"You did what?"

"I paid her."

Sasuke was surprised. Not only had she brought her in, but she also paid for her medical care. "I…I'm in debt to you."

"It's ok. You were really hurt and needed help. My dad taught if I can help someone that can't help themselves it's my responsibility to help them."

"Sounds like a smart man."

Sasuke shifted his weight in the seat and pain flared from his side. Shelley leapt from her seat and to his side. She opened his shirt and inspected his bandage.

"Watch out, you'll be tender for a few weeks most likely. The doctor had to remove several splinters the size of ball-point pens from your arm and sides."

"You have medical knowledge as well?"

"The resident doctor for this village teaches most anyone some first-aid stuff."

Sasuke sat still with this strange lady re-applying his bandages on his side and watched her. _"She's helping me just to help me," _Sasuke thought to himself. If anything, Sasuke did have a sense of honor; it was his obligation to repay this woman for her kindness.

"Anything you need, come to me. I'll repay you for your kindness…someway."

Shelley stood up and Sasuke stood up from the chair. She motioned outside to Sasuke.

"Interested in going outside?"

Sasuke nodded in the affirmative. Shelley waved him to follow her and they walked down the hall and outside the front door. They walked down the path, Shelley exchanging greetings and goodbyes with people on the streets. Sasuke saw through all the windows of the shops. Clothing shops, places for food, a barber shop. It was a huge difference from New York and Japan.

"I've never seen someplace so…pleasant."

Shelley replied, "It's a nice place to live, a lot better for me than the hustle and bustle of the city. I only go there every few weeks."

"What's the name of this place?"

"This village is called 'Hope's Pier'"

Sasuke thought to himself, _"Hope's Pier, huh? I…I like it." _

"Come on, there's something I want to show you."

Sasuke was looking through the window of a tailor when Shelley grabbed his hand and led him down the street. Shelley led him into a small diner. There were people eating and drinking at the bar and people in booths laughing and talking about their work days and their kids. Shelley sat him down in the booth and she took her seat across him.

"So…what did you want to show me?"

"You'll see…"

A waitress in a white uniform walked over and took an order from Shelley and walked away. A few minutes later she came back and laid down a plate on the table.

"This place serves the best pie I've ever had in my life," Shelley said with a smile. Sasuke half-smiled back at her as she put some on a plate and handed it to him, "I always bring my friends here. It's a guilty pleasure." Sasuke was puzzled, he'd never seen someone get so excited over food…well, except Naruto but Sasuke got used to his ramblings after a while, but he liked being able to feel like that again. Sasuke picked up his fork and took a mouthful of the pie which seemed to have apples and cherries inside it.

"Wow, that's…delicious."

"I told you."

Sasuke finished the plate and had another, he surprised himself at the sense of peace he now had. It's all he'd want now but he knew he could never have it, not after the things he's done.

"Hmm? What's going on?"

Sasuke looked up and saw Shelley looking outside the window. Several large SUVs had driven into town and stopped in the town square. Sasuke recognized the logo, it was the same eagle in the crest that he saw on Steve Roger's chest. They had come to look for him.

"They're looking for me."

"What? Why? Isn't that S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"You know who they are?"

"Yeah, they're a government security force or something, we hear about them on the news every once in a while. Why are they looking for you?"

Sasuke stood up and walked up to the window. Sasuke saw him leave the last SUV that entered the town; Steve Rogers had stepped out of the vehicle and walked up to the one of the local police officers. He had to been talking to him to look for Sasuke most likely.

"That's Sheriff Makin, he knows that we found you and sent you to the clinic."

Sasuke turned to Shelley and back to the window. He considered just turning himself in for a moment but he knew what they'd want from him. They'd want his secrets, his power. Sasuke knew their kind. Steve Rogers may not be that way, but he knew for certain from personal experience that the people pulling the strings were.

"Shelley, I need somewhere to hide."

Shelley stood up and walked over to him, "Can't you just go over to them?"

"That won't work out so hot. I'll explain later…"

"Whoa now hold on, you owe me right? I want to know what the deal is."

Shelley looked at him firmly; Sasuke knew he had to honor her wishes.

"I'll tell you everything, if you really want to know. But only if you take me somewhere safe."

"I'll take you to my house. Come on, we'll go out the back."

Shelley led Sasuke out the back door and snuck several houses to her truck; they got in and drove off. Sasuke was relieved he was able to escape without a problem. He would've engaged them if not for the all the people that didn't need to be involved. Now all he was concerned about is how far away Shelley lived.

"So, how far are we going?"

"I live a ways away; my family built a manor in the forest a very long time ago. It's just me that lives there now after my parents and siblings left for someplace a bit warmer. The Canadian winters are nasty…How are you doing? How's your arm?"

"Oh uh…I'm ok. Don't worry about me."

An air of silence was over them again. Neither Sasuke nor Shelley said anything for the rest of the ride. The awkward silence between them ended when they got to their destination.

"Here it is…"

The truck stopped in front of a large house, it was 2 stories and made of brick. Large windows adorned the walls, they were rusted around the edges and the paint chipped, it didn't look like it had seen such maintenance recently.

"You live here alone?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just seems like the type of place a big family or something would live in, not a single person."

"Yeah well they all left; their loss. I love it here; I don't think I'd like it anywhere else."

Shelley led Sasuke up the path towards the front door, 2 large pillars stood at each side of the door. Shelley unlocked the door and let Sasuke in first. The first thing Sasuke saw was a long corridor reaching all the way to the back of the manor. There were several arches opening into other rooms to his sides, they were full of furniture with tarps covering them. Shelley walked in after locking the door.

"I'm going to go use the little girl's room, take a look around. It's ok."

Shelley smiled and then walked upstairs and into another room, with the sound of door closing behind her. Sasuke looked around again and walked in the room with the tarps on the furniture, there was dust on the floor and all the visible furniture, _"How long has she lived here alone?" _Sasuke walked around to the far corner of the room where there was a piano against the wall. He pressed a few of the keys, the sounds were very sharp and crisp, like it was maintenance recently,_ "It seems something gets looked after all." _Sasuke walked over a window with the shutters closed on it; he opened them and looked out the window. The manor overlooked a cliff which the window faced. Sasuke thought to himself how pretty the view was, this was probably why Shelley stayed when her family left. Sasuke's mind drifted to his old life, even though there were a lot of bad things, there were a few fond memories as well, memories that Sasuke tried to forget but he couldn't.

"Find something interesting?"

Sasuke turned and saw Shelley standing in the door way, she changed her shirt into a t-shirt. She walked over to the piano Sasuke was just looking at and played a few keys.

"Do you play?"

Sasuke shook his head, "No. I don't."

"My mom was the one who could play the best. She was very good, won a few competitions when she was in high school. Everybody thought she would go professional, but she met my dad and had us instead," Shelley turned to her head to Sasuke, "She didn't regret it once."

"Sounds like a remarkable woman."

"She certainly was."

"Is she still with your father?"

Shelley's small smile left her face for a moment as she turned her head away.

"I'm sorry it's none of my business."

"That's ok. I'll tell you sometime when I feel more comfortable talking about it," her smile came and her eyes seemed to light up in the dim room. She walked over to the window, "it's pretty isn't it?"

"Beautiful."

Shelley reached over and grabbed Sasuke's casted arm, looking it over.

"You're probably uncomfortable as all hell in those hospital clothes. Can't believe I was so absent minded I actually took you out wearing that. Wait here a sec, I have some of my older brother's clothes upstairs, and you look his size."

Shelley turned around and walked out of the room and back up the stairs. Sasuke turned back to the window, and saw his reflection, "_What!?" _Sasuke saw his reflection, but it was different. The whites of his eyes were black, his hair was long and silver, and his skin darkened grey.

"You know you can't escape what you really are, Sasuke…"

Sasuke felt the familiar burn on his skin like on the helicarrier. Sasuke fell to his knees in pain, trying to hold in any sounds of pain so Shelley wouldn't come running and see him…in that way, _"No…No…NO! I Won't hurt them…I won't hurt her…she doesn't deserve that…." _Sasuke balled his fist and punched a hole in the wooden floor straight through with his considerable strength. Sasuke saw the darkness seeping out through his pores and covering his skin, "No…I don't want this…No…" The darkness started to recede back into his skin until it was gone again. The pain soon dissipated away as well. Sasuke got back to his feet and looked in the window again, his reflection was normal again and the little voice in back of his head was gone as well.

"Are you ok?"

Shelley had returned with some clothing in her arm, she walked over to him, "Here I got some clothes-whoa what happened to the floor?"

"Uh…that was there…I tripped over it."

Shelley handed Sasuke the clothes, "Damn it these floorboards are going to shit. I'm going to have to replace them soon if they're rotting in."

Shelley walked Sasuke out of the room and walked him upstairs, "This is where all the bedrooms are, mine's is at the head of the stairs so you can't miss it. Here's my brother's old room, you can change in here ok?" Sasuke walked in and closed the door behind him. Sasuke leaned against the door with the bundle of clothes under his arm, _"That was close…shit…that was close. Did she see anything? I hope not." _ Sasuke walked over to the table and started undressing, the bruising on his ribs had started to go away. _"My favorite thing after absorbing Orochimaru would have to be the healing factor." _Sasuke held up the blue plaid shirt, _"Must be a popular fashion in Canada." _ Sasuke put it on and rolled back the sleeves, taking care not to aggravate his arm. He didn't have a problem putting on the jeans and tennis shoes. Sasuke walked over to a mirror and checked over himself, his hair had returned to its old style from when he lived in his own dimension, he figured it was from his hair growing when he transformed. He wasn't going to worry about his hair right now; there were more important things on his mind.

Sasuke walked over to a window overlooking the front of the manor. A sheriff's office police cruiser pulled up with an S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV behind it. The sheriff from town, Sheriff Makin had gotten out of the cruiser, and behind him Steve Rogers had exited the SUV. _"Shit…my cover might be blown." _ Sasuke had lost his katana in the forest, he'd have to go back to find it. He immediately started looking through the drawers in the room for a weapon, he finally found a decent size fold out knife, it was well sharpened, it would meet his needs should he need it. Sasuke crept out the room as he heard the doorbell ring. Shelley walked over to the door and Sasuke used his chakra to creep along the wall directly above the door. Luckily the ceiling in the main corridor was very high off the ground so Shelley could not see him, neither could anyone walking in unless they looked straight up when they walked in, luckily Shelley was talking to them in the door way.

"Sheriff Makin, always a pleasure. What can I do for you?" Shelley questioned him.

"Hi there Shelley, nice to see you again. I wish we had time for more pleasantries but I'm here on serious business. This here is-"

"Captain America," Shelley interrupted. "It's quite an honor to meet a living legend. What are you doing around these parts? What happened to your face?"

There was still bruising and scrapes on Steve's face from his fight with Sasuke earlier but it had healed considerably fast.

"Well ma'am I'm here in town looking for a fugitive that escaped earlier somewhere in the area. He's extremely dangerous, and possibly armed. He engaged several highly trained soldiers and took them down without a hitch; he even gave me a few knocks. I need to find him immediately."

Sasuke could barely see through the door at the angle he was at, but he saw Steve hand her a picture, a picture with his face on it. He couldn't see Shelley's face but he could take a guess at what was going through her mind. Sheriff Makin stepped into the conversation again after Shelley handed back the photo.

"We heard from Doctor Malcolm that you brought in some fella that was hurt on the side of the ride a few miles outside of town and wanted to see if he resembled the man in this picture."

"Well Sheriff, I don't know. It was kinda dark when I brought him in. But…well…" Shelley paused for a moment. Sasuke unfolded the knife from his pocket and readied it, "Isn't he still there at the clinic?"

"No. We checked with the doc and the staff, whoever was there was gone, nobody saw where he went."

"I see. Well Sheriff…," Shelley paused again and turned her head into the house.

"Is something wrong?" Steve Rogers asked.

"No, nothing at all. I thought for a moment a pot I had on the kettle was ready. I…I'm sorry I can't help you. I don't know him, and I don't where he is. Probably one of those kooks and took off when nobody was looking. Perhaps you should try the roads leading to Toronto or Alberta; perhaps he's hitchhiking or something."

Steve shook her hand and thanked her for her help. The Sheriff tipped his hat and they both left. Shelley closed the door and turned around and walked up the stairs hurriedly.

"You didn't have to do that."

Shelley gasped in surprise to see Sasuke looking down on her, standing from the ceiling.

"How…how are you doing that?"

Sasuke fell from the ceiling and landed in front of her on the head on the stairs. Shelley noticed the blade in Sasuke's hand.

"Were you going to use that?"

Sasuke looked at the knife in his hand and looked at her, "If I had to." He laid the knife down on the banister. "Why did you do that? You don't owe me anything. You could've told them."

"Well you do owe me something remember? And by count I've saved your bacon twice now. I want to know…everything."

"Why?"

"In this town a juicy story is hard to come by. And I think you have a particularly juicy one, Along with your handsome good looks."

Sasuke's eyes drifted back to the knife on the banister, he would've used it. He would've killed Shelley, that Sheriff and tried to kill Steve, or Captain America, whichever name he went by. He would've done all of it, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to hurt Shelley, even though another part of him did.

"Ok, I'll…tell you whatever you want to know."

Sasuke and Shelley walked down the stairs and walked into the kitchen at the back of the house, they sat down with some tea Shelley made and Sasuke told her everything. Who he was, where he was, how he got there and what happened to his people. He made sure not to go too far into his own past, he didn't want her know the dirty details of the things he did. Shelley almost seemed in tears when Sasuke told her that he had to kill people he once called friends.

"Well…that's most of it. What do you think?"

Shelley was silent for a moment, almost as if in shock from what Sasuke just told her.

"I…I am sorry. I've burdened you in a way that you don't deserve. Thank you for your kindness, I…will leave now."

Sasuke turned off the stool at the table in the center of the kitchen and walked toward the arch that led to the main hallway. He was stopped when Shelley walked after him and flung her arms around his mid-section. Sasuke looked down in surprise at her, "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? Sorry for what? You didn't do anything wrong."

"No, that's not it; you don't get it. You had all these awful things happen to you and not one person even gave you an ounce of sympathy, nobody cared? I'm sorry that happened to you."

Sasuke was awkward in this kind of situation. Nobody had ever shown any sympathy of any kind during his time in this world, yet this woman that Sasuke met earlier that day, that by all accounts should be scared of him, has her arms around him saying she was sorry for his pain. He had the desire to push her away, to hide away his pain but he found himself embracing her back.

"If there's anything else you want to tell me, you can tell me ok?" Shelley released her embrace and quickly wiped a tear from her eye.

"I…I will remember that. Thank you."

"Look. Those people are going to be looking for you. Just stay here with me until your arm is better ok? You'll be safe, nobody ever comes around these parts."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. There will always be people coming for me, if you're near me, you'll never be safe. You'll always be in danger."

Shelley walked over and cupped both her hands around his good hand, "It's ok. I always go the extra mile for my friends." Sasuke didn't know what to say, the last person to call themselves his friend was Naruto, it was weird hearing it again. Sasuke considered using a genjutsu to just make her forget about him and everything she now knew, but Sasuke had a newfound respect for her, a respect that forbade from using any genjutsu on her, her choice was her choice and Sasuke would live with it, no matter the outcome.

"I will only stay until my arm is fully healed, ok?"

"Sure, ok."

A month had gone by in the house. Sasuke was on his guard every day in expectation that someone would come for him. He waited every day in front of the front door but nobody came. He didn't talk to Shelley much except for the few words at meals and before bedtime. His arm had healed quickly, and so had his ribs. It wasn't long until he was 100 percent again and thankfully no more accidents with him transforming. Sasuke hoped he'd never become that person again. Even though Sasuke had been fully healed, he hadn't left yet, he had made the agreement with Shelley that once he was back to snuff he would leave, but he didn't. Something kept him staying, even though he and Shelley hardly shared any words anymore. Without even noticing it, another 6 months had passed, winter had come and heavy snow blanketed the countryside.

"I haven't seen snow in a long time," Sasuke said, looking out a window. A fire roared in a fireplace in the room that used to have the furniture with tarps on it. Sasuke had taken it upon himself to clean the room up himself, he figured he should do something nice for Shelley since she was allowing him to stay there rent free with free food and other things.

"Yeah, I just couldn't help but fall in love with it, even now I've frozen my ass a few times," Shelley handed Sasuke a cup of hot coffee. "First time in a while someone spent the winter with me…" Sasuke looked at her, she was wearing a jacket in the house even though the furnace was going full blast. Her hair had grown longer but her smile had remained the same. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing ok, Shelley."

"That's…that's good. You know I've liked you being here with me…"

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I have…liked being here with you too."

Shelley's eyes lit up and she chuckled, "I'm happy that you're here. You know I don't have many friends."

"I find that hard to believe."

"I know right? It's true though."

Sasuke turned his head back out the window, "I've been thinking for a while now. Once the winter is over, I'm going to move on."

"Why?"

"It's just time now. I have something I need to do, and something I need to find."

Sasuke's thoughts drifted to Naruto's headband. He didn't even know if it had been destroyed or not. It was so silly when he thought about it that after all this time he hadn't forgotten about it. Once he found it, maybe he could consider a life of peace but even still he didn't know if he deserved it or not, much like he wasn't sure if he was worth Shelley's friendship.

"What if I said…I'd like for you to stay?"

"Huh?"

Sasuke had turned around; Shelley had stepped forward and put her arms around him, much like the first day they met. "I know you had things hard a lot of your life from what you told me. Even I could tell there's a few things you're not opening up with me about and that's ok, all in time. I don't know why those secret agent types are after you and I don't care what you did…over the past couple months I've seen how you really are."

"Shelley, you haven't seen everything…there's parts of my life that you won't be prepared to suffer through. I told you months ago that you'll always be in danger, when I said that I didn't mean you'd be in danger from other people. You'd be in danger from me."

"That's ok with me, I put a lot of thought into it, I started to really like having you around after living here alone for as long as I have."

Sasuke considered what she had said, she wanted him to stay. She knew the dangers of having him in her life and she didn't care, it was careless that could cost her life. Sasuke broke the embrace and stepped back, still holding her shoulders, "Shelley…the thing is…I…"

An urgent knock at the door slammed through the house.

"That sounds like Sheriff Makin, what does he want in this kind of weather?"

"Go answer it; I'll hide behind the door."

Shelley walked over to the door and opened it, Sheriff Makin was out of breathe and flustered.

"Sheriff, what's the problem. What's going on?"

"Shelley, there's been a disappearance."

"What?"

"A little boy was snatched up and the entire town is searching for him, the Wilson boy. His family put the word out yesterday and several search parties have been sent out, I wanted to see if maybe you've seen any suspicious activity out here."

"No Sheriff I haven't."

"We have a couple eyewitness accounts, it didn't seem to be a person…but some type of animal. Really big and really mean. 3 people have been sent to the hospital in the past month from animal attacks and they all add up. We think it's the same creature."

"I'm sorry Sheriff; I haven't seen anything around here."

"I see…alright, well you know my phone number; if you see anything out of sorts and I mean ANYTHING please call me immediately."

The Sheriff turned around hurriedly ran down the path back to his truck and drove away. Shelley closed the door and locked it, "Oh dear."

Do you know something about this?"

Sasuke stepped to her and looked her in the eye.

"I…well…you see…my brother…"

"What about him?"

"My brother he…he became…"

"Shelley."

"When I was a kid me and my brother went on a hunting a trip and on that hunting trip it was snowing really bad and hard to see, looking back on it now it was a stupid idea to go out but my brother insisted and normally I went with him. While we were out and trying to get back home, we were attacked. We were attacked by this giant…monstrous creature. White fur and teeth everywhere, it knocked me to the ground, I woke up half frozen to death. My father found me, and my brother was gone, I know that he shot it a few times but now….I-I-I don't know. It sounds like the same monster."

Sasuke walked over to the coat rack and strapped it on, putting snow boots and gloves on, "I'll go find that child."

"No, you can't," Shelley had concern in her face; anyone could see she didn't want him to go but Sasuke felt he had to go.

"The past few years of my life I only cared about myself and never did anything for the benefit of others. This is a step to change those old ways. I want to help, please don't try to stop me."

Shelley nodded and said, "Come back soon ok?"

Sasuke nodded with a smile and walked out the door, disappearing in the snow. Shelley turned and walked into the room with the piano, she sat down. Shelley pulled a small picture from her shirt, her brother was on it. He was a handsome young man, resembling Sasuke in a few small areas.

"Be careful Sasuke, the Wendigo won't go easy on you if you find it…or rather…if it finds you."


End file.
